Agememnon: Study Questions Flashcards
- Agamemnon’s Prologue & Festival of Dionysus
The watchman’s reference to dawn suggests early morning staging. Light symbolizes hope, divine will, and tragic revelation.
- Watchman’s Foreshadowing & Role
He hints at looming disaster, mirroring Hamlet’s ghostly opening. As a “watchman,” he represents vigilance and impending doom.
- The Chorus as a ‘Collective Character’
Yes, the chorus functions as one entity, reflecting societal views and moral dilemmas.
- Effect of Casting the Chorus as Old Men
Elderly chorus members highlight traditional wisdom but also powerlessness in confronting change.
- What is the point of the various repetitions of the story of the House of Atreus?
Repetition reinforces the curse’s inevitability and the inescapable cycle of vengeance.
- Dramatic Function of Cassandra
Cassandra’s prophecies heighten tension, foreshadowing doom while revealing divine injustice.
- Effect of Cassandra’s Initial Silence
Her silence builds suspense and emphasizes her alienation as a doomed seer.
- Is Agamemnon a Tragic Hero?
Yes, he fits Aristotle’s definition: noble, flawed by hubris (sacrificing Iphigenia), leading to his downfall. His role is pivotal but not dominant.
- Clytaemnestra’s Masculine Traits
She exhibits strength, intelligence, and dominance, defying gender norms to assert power.
- Justification of Agamemnon’s Murder
Clytaemnestra sees it as revenge for Iphigenia, but Aegisthus’ role is framed as opportunistic rather than justifiable.
- Effect of Off-Stage Murder
Emphasizes horror through audience imagination, focusing on reactions rather than spectacle.
- Was Agamemnon’s Murder Inevitable?
Yes, due to the family curse and cycle of vengeance, his fate was sealed.
- Significance of Recurring Images
Recurring imagery (nets, blood, light/dark) reinforces fate, entrapment, and the tragic cycle of retribution.
