Athenian audience Essay

Examine and compare the motives and actions of Orestes and Electra. To what extent provide an Athenian sense of hearing admire and approve of them?Electra is the central character in the play. Her main purpose in this play is to achieve the motive of a typical Greek per give-and-take, which is to be noble to the gods, family and cherish their homeland. This is whitherfore tries as much as possible to consume the murderers of her find and why she thinks by doing this, she is obeying the gods. These murderers happen to be her mother and her lover Aegisthus.This makes her hate her mother without considering the circumstances to which she was subjected to beforehand killing Agamemnon. Electra describes her as the queen of double-dealing. Pg 77. And a worthless slot.She expresses the hatred for her mother freely. She also hates Aegisthus as he has taken the flummox of her father. Aegisthus sitting in my fathers chair, wearing the clothes he wore, pouring the same libations at the altar where he killed him. Pg 76. This shows Aegisthus lack of respect for Agamemnon, the tradition of the Greeks and the Gods. As a result of the situation she denies herself of the privileges and luxuries of creation a princess because she doesnt want to live of f the means of her worst enemies. She describes herself as an alien slave, a menialdressed like a slattern in coarse and ugly garments. The death of her bewilder and the exile of her brother, Orestes makes her mourn helplessly and continuously, as she seatnot do anything. So I can do nix solely wait in misery. Pg 77. Mourning in the ancient Greek sense here meant tearing off your hair, crying and all sorts of self-harm. I bring my sad songs here and tear my disparager till it bleeds. Pg 71.In addition, Electra also loves her father precise much. Her love for him is more of an obsession, which has been seriously affected, as he is now dead. She is subjective to him and is ready to do anything for his sake though he is dead. I will fall, if necessity be, for my fathers sake. Pg 80.She also loves her brother, Orestes who has been exiled. She refers to him as her darling and her darlings own son. Pg 92 &107.Her feelings towards her sister Chrysothemis is ambiguous as it changes according her actions. At a particular time she can adopt a harsh tone when addressing Chrysothemis You ought to be ashamed, if youre our fathers daughter. Pg 78. by and by on, she refers to her with a much more caring approach. Listen to me my dearPg 81. Furthermore, Electra has an aggressive approach towards issues. She lacks patience and is ineffective to consider the consequences of her actions before she does them Prepare fit punishments and turn their pomp to ashes This portrays her aggressiveness Pg 75.On the other go a considerable we put one across Orestes who is one of the main male characters. He is the son of Agamemnon and his main aim is also to visit the death of his father who has been killed by his mo ther and her lover, Aegithus as explained earlier, as he feels it his responsibility to the gods, which he is toilsome by all means not to disobey. I would not have come back just now in the gods good time they brought me back to you. Pg 108.It is important I note that Orestes expresses a bit of distrust after killing Clytaemnestra. All rightif Apollo was right. Pg 114.Also, contrasted Electra, Orestes is a more composure and reserved. He does not pour out all his emotions and is more cautious in his actions. He is coordinated and plans his actions before carrying them out. For example, he tells the tutor to deceive his mother, Clytaemnestra and sister, Electra that he is dead in order to set a allay mood in the palace for his mother and also to make his sister lose all hopes that hell be coming back to revenge the death of their father. The result of this will be that Electra will calm down. Even when she eventually finds out he is her brother he cautions her. I would not cu rb you but in that respect is danger in too much happiness. Pg 108. He then comes disguised to kill the murderers of his father.In addition, Orestes contributes to the use of irony. For example Which of you, I wonder, would be so good as to tell them inwardly that a long expected visitor is here? Pg 102. This is an irony as it is true that he has been long expected. Electra also makes use of ironies in the play. Yes I seeyou have it there in your handsthere is no doubt, thenO my brother. Pg 103.This is an irony as she is actually talking to her brother.Lastly, Orestes main heading is more of justice and duty than personal hatred for the murderers of his father, Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus or his great love for his father unlike Electra .He believes that killing his fathers murderers is a responsibility given to him by the gods. I could not have come but in the gods good time they brought me back. Pg 108. One can still assert that Electra believes it is her duty but her motives s till have an implement of her personal love and affection for her father. You admit you killed my father and that is the most monstrous admission you could make, whether you had justice on your side or not.In conclusion, I personally think that the Greek audience would have sympathised with both Electra and her brother, Orestes as they both present the actions of a Greek person if he or she was in a similar situation, though it might be in different styles. In Electra, I think the audience would have loved the way she hold dear the main priorities of a typical Greek person which, is to be loyal to your family and homeland. They would also have respect this in Orestes as he also does the same. The Greek audience would have also loved how she visualised the regular tradition and culture through her mourning. In Orestes, I think the Greeks would have admired his power to think of good ideas and his ability to make good use of his sense, as it was regarded as a very important charact eristic in the society. They would also have loved the use of irony used by the two characters. The main shortcoming of this play is that the intrigue and suspense is limited, as it would have been more if the audience did not know the story..