Part 1: ‘Agamemnon’ – Broadcast: 23rd November, 1956 at 21.45
Part 2: ‘The Choephori’ – Broadcast: 24th November, 1956 at 21.45
Part 3: ‘The Libation Bearers’ – Broadcast: 25th November, 1956 at 21.45
Part 4: ‘The Eumenides’ – Broadcast: 26th November, 1956 at 21.45
Character: Orestes – son of Agamemnon
Few works of dramatic literature can claim the historical importance, emotional power, and intellectual depth of Aeschylus’ The Oresteia. First performed in 458 BC, this trilogy of Greek tragedies remains one of the foundations upon which Western drama was built. Consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers (Choephori), and The Eumenides, the trilogy charts the bloody downfall and eventual redemption of the House of Atreus. What begins as a tale of murder, revenge, and family curse ultimately evolves into a profound examination of justice, civilisation, and the rule of law.
The genius of The Oresteia lies in its extraordinary scope. While many plays focus on the fate of individuals, Aeschylus presents nothing less than the transformation of society itself. The trilogy begins in darkness, immersed in an ancient world where violence breeds violence, and ends with the promise of a new order based upon reason and legal institutions. The result is a work that feels both intensely personal and sweeping in its political and moral vision.
The first play, Agamemnon, is widely regarded as one of the greatest tragedies ever written. The action begins with the return of King Agamemnon to Argos after ten years fighting in the Trojan War. Yet his homecoming is far from triumphant. Waiting for him is his wife, Clytemnestra, whose apparent welcome conceals a burning desire for revenge. Years earlier Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to secure favourable winds for his fleet. Clytemnestra has never forgiven him.
Aeschylus masterfully builds tension throughout the play. The audience is aware that catastrophe is approaching, yet the precise moment of its arrival remains agonisingly uncertain. Clytemnestra emerges as one of the most compelling female characters in classical literature. Intelligent, eloquent, and utterly determined, she dominates every scene in which she appears. Her arguments regarding Agamemnon’s crimes are persuasive, yet her own actions are equally horrifying. As a result, the audience is trapped in a moral grey area where notions of justice and vengeance become hopelessly entangled.
The murder of Agamemnon forms the play’s dramatic climax, but it is the psychological aftermath that carries the greatest force. Clytemnestra justifies her actions as righteous vengeance, yet her victory brings no sense of resolution. Instead, the cycle of bloodshed merely continues.
This theme is developed in the second play, The Libation Bearers. Here the focus shifts to Orestes (Peter Wyngarde), the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Ordered by the god Apollo to avenge his father’s death, Orestes returns from exile determined to kill his mother and her lover, Aegisthus.
The play explores one of the most agonising moral dilemmas in literature. If Orestes fails to avenge Agamemnon, he betrays both his father and the commands of the gods. If he kills his mother, he commits a terrible crime against nature and family. Either choice results in guilt.
Aeschylus captures this conflict with immense dramatic power. Orestes is not portrayed as a fearless hero but as a troubled young man caught between incompatible obligations. His eventual act of vengeance is both heroic and horrifying. The audience understands why he must act, yet cannot escape the terrible consequences of his decision.
The appearance of the Furies following the death of Clytemnestra provides some of the most enduring imagery in Greek drama. These ancient spirits of vengeance embody a primal sense of justice, pursuing Orestes for the crime of matricide. Their relentless pursuit creates a mounting tension that propels the trilogy toward its final act.
In The Eumenides, Aeschylus elevates the narrative beyond personal vendetta, transforming it into a philosophical inquiry into the nature of justice. Hounded by the Furies, Orestes seeks sanctuary and eventually stands trial in Athens. This trial, presided over by the goddess Athena, serves as the centerpiece of the drama.
The significance of this final play lies in its revolutionary proposition that disputes should be resolved through legal process rather than vengeance. The ancient cycle of retribution that dominates the trilogy concludes in a courtroom rather than on a battlefield. The resulting verdict does not merely determine Orestes’ fate; it symbolizes the transition from tribal blood-justice to an organized civilization.
The resolution of the conflict is particularly compelling as it acknowledges the validity of both perspectives. The Furies are not portrayed as malevolent; rather, they represent an older conception of justice rooted in family loyalty and retribution. Conversely, Athena seeks a system capable of terminating endless cycles of violence. Rather than destroying the Furies, she persuades them to become protectors of the city – a transformation that remains one of the most optimistic moments in classical literature.
One of the trilogy’s primary strengths is its sophisticated treatment of justice. While modern audiences often expect clear distinctions between heroes and villains, Aeschylus offers no such simplicity. Agamemnon is presented as both a victorious king and a father who sacrificed his own child. Clytemnestra is both a murderess and a grieving mother. Orestes is simultaneously a dutiful son and a matricide. Each major character possesses legitimate grievances and profound flaws.
This moral complexity ensures the enduring relevance of The Oresteia. The questions it raises remain deeply contemporary: How can societies break cycles of violence? Can justice ever be achieved through revenge? What occurs when competing duties collide? These inquiries resonate as strongly today as they did nearly two and a half millennia ago.
The role of the Chorus merits particular praise. Although modern readers occasionally find choral passages challenging, they are essential to the trilogy’s emotional and thematic impact. The Chorus serves as commentator, witness, and moral conscience, guiding the audience through the events while reflecting broader social concerns. Their poetry is frequently lyrical, haunting, and rich with symbolic imagery.
Aeschylus’ language possesses a grandeur that few playwrights have matched. His imagery is consistently vivid and startling; motifs of blood, darkness, nets, eagles, and serpents recur throughout the trilogy, creating a symbolic landscape that reinforces the themes of guilt and retribution. Even in translation, the poetry retains immense power.
The influence of The Oresteia on subsequent drama cannot be overstated. Its exploration of fate, justice, familial conflict, and political order has inspired countless playwrights, novelists, and filmmakers. Elements of its structure and themes are evident throughout the history of Western literature, from Shakespeare to the modern stage.
Ultimately, The Oresteia is more than an ancient tragedy; it is a profound meditation on humanity’s struggle to rise above violence and establish a more just society. Aeschylus combines gripping drama with philosophical depth, creating a work that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally devastating. Its characters are unforgettable, its themes timeless, and its vision astonishingly ambitious.
More than 2,400 years after its first performance, The Oresteia remains one of the greatest achievements in dramatic literature: a powerful, haunting, and deeply humane exploration of justice, revenge, and civilization itself.
