Oresteia

Aeschylus

Oresteia

Aeschylus
58 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Play
Adult

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

The son of Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra. Sent into exile at a young age to protect him from domestic unrest, he returns to his ancestral home with a heavy divine mandate to avenge his family's wrongs. He finds himself caught in a terrible dilemma, forced to choose between dishonoring his father's spirit or committing a grave sin against his mother.

Key Relationships

Father of Agamemnon

Mother of Clytaemnestra

Brother of Electra

Brother of Iphigenia

Close friend of Pylades

Guided by Apollo

Supplicant to Athena

Pursued by Chorus of Furies

The Queen of Argos and wife of Agamemnon. During her husband's ten-year absence at the Trojan War, she harbors deep resentment over the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia. She takes an active, commanding role in the kingdom, carefully laying plans for retribution while maintaining a facade of loyalty and devotion.

Key Relationships

Wife of Agamemnon

Lover of Aegisthus

Mother of Orestes

Mother of Electra

Mother of Iphigenia

Questioned by Chorus of Old Argive Men

The mighty King of Argos and commander of the Greek forces during the Trojan War. He bears the heavy burden of his family's ancestral curse and the lingering consequences of his wartime decisions. Proud and victorious, he returns home expecting a warm welcome despite the quiet anger his long war has caused among his people.

Key Relationships

Husband of Clytaemnestra

Father of Orestes

Father of Electra

Father of Iphigenia

Captor of Cassandra

Cousin and rival of Aegisthus

The god of prophecy and oracles. He takes a direct interest in mortal affairs, specifically commanding Orestes to take drastic action regarding his family's curse. He offers divine protection, purification rites, and legal defense to his loyal followers.

Key Relationships

Divine protector of Orestes

Curser of Cassandra

Adversary to Chorus of Furies

Ally to Athena

The goddess of justice and patron deity of Athens. She acts as an impartial arbiter, establishing a formal court system to replace endless cycles of blood vengeance. She demonstrates respect for ancient traditions while creating new legal frameworks to stabilize society.

Key Relationships

Judge of Orestes

Host and negotiator with Chorus of Furies

Fellow deity to Apollo

Hideous, ancient chthonic goddesses who enforce the oldest laws of nature. They relentlessly pursue mortals who violate sacred familial bonds, specifically focusing on crimes of blood betrayal. Their terrifying presence demands punishment without consideration for extenuating circumstances.

Key Relationships

Pursuers of Orestes

Summoned by Clytaemnestra

Opposed by Apollo

Respected by Athena

Supporting Characters

Orestes' sister who lives in Argos. Following her father's departure and the shifting power dynamics in the royal household, she suffers a diminished, outcast status. She remains intensely loyal to her father's memory and prays fervently for her brother's return to restore order to their home.

Key Relationships

Sister of Orestes

Daughter of Agamemnon

Daughter of Clytaemnestra

A Trojan princess and former priestess of Apollo, brought to Argos as a captive and concubine to the king. She possesses the gift of prophecy but carries a divine curse ensuring that no one ever believes her terrifying visions of impending disaster.

Key Relationships

Captive of Agamemnon

Cursed by Apollo

Tries to warn Chorus of Old Argive Men

Agamemnon's cousin who remains in Argos while the king wages war in Troy. He carries a bitter, inherited grudge against Agamemnon's branch of the family due to a gruesome betrayal involving his own father, Thyestes. He schemes closely with the queen to seize control of the household.

Key Relationships

Lover of Clytaemnestra

Cousin and rival of Agamemnon

A group of elders who were deemed unfit to fight in the Trojan War. They remain fiercely loyal to their absent king and express deep suspicion toward the queen's authority, though their advanced age leaves them largely powerless to intervene directly in state affairs.

Key Relationships

Loyal subjects to Agamemnon

Hostile toward Aegisthus

Captive women forced to serve the royal household of Argos. Sent to pour libations for the dead, they harbor secret sympathies for the marginalized members of the royal family and actively encourage resistance against the current rulers.

Key Relationships

Companions to Electra

Supporters of Orestes

Enslaved by Clytaemnestra

A faithful friend who accompanies Orestes from exile back to Argos. He provides crucial moral support and reminds his friend of his sacred oaths when hesitation strikes during critical moments.

Key Relationships

Close friend of Orestes

The elderly nurse who raised Orestes from childhood. She works as a servant in the palace and maintains a deep, maternal affection for the exiled prince, demonstrating grief when she hears false reports concerning him.

Key Relationships

Former caretaker of Orestes

Servant to Clytaemnestra

The daughter of Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra. Her sacrifice to the goddess Diana, ordered by her father to secure favorable winds for the Greek fleet, serves as the devastating catalyst for her mother's burning desire for revenge.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Agamemnon

Daughter of Clytaemnestra

Sister of Orestes

Sister of Electra

The priestess of Apollo who presides over his sacred temple at Delphi. She maintains the sanctuary and serves as the voice of the god's prophecies, discovering the terrifying aftermath of the conflict in Argos.

Key Relationships

Priestess to Apollo