What is the message of the Eumenides?

The Eumenides has two prequels—Agamemnon and The Libation Bearers—and these three plays together form Aeschylus’s trilogy called the Oresteia. In both of those first two plays, revenge and justice are essentially equated—that is, paying back someone who has wronged you is considered the right and moral thing to do.

What happens at the end of Eumenides?

In the end, the Furies, now known as the Kindly Spirits, accept Athena’s offer and replace their black robes with reddish-purple ones. Although they will still seek vengeance against evil-doers, they will now also aid the good people of Athens.

What is the story Eumenides about?

“The Eumenides” tells of how Orestes is pursued to Athens by the vengeful Erinyes for the murder of his mother, Clytemnestra, and how he is tried before Athena and a jury of Athenians to decide whether his crime justifies the torment of the Erinyes.

What are the main themes of The Oresteia?

The principal themes of the trilogy include the contrast between revenge and justice, as well as the transition from personal vendetta to organized litigation. Oresteia originally included a satyr play, Proteus (Πρωτεύς), following the tragic trilogy, but all except a single line of Proteus has been lost.

What is the main conflict in the play Eumenides?

Conflict in Aeschylus’ The Eumenides There are four basic conflicts in Aeschylus’ play: conflicts between old and new gods, conflicts between models of society, conflicts between genders, and conflicts between views of justice.

What is the role of the erinyes in Aeschylus Eumenides?

Aeschylus. Featured in ancient Greek literature, from poems to plays, the Erinyes form the Chorus and play a major role in the conclusion of Aeschylus’s dramatic trilogy the Oresteia.

What does Athena do in the Eumenides?

Athena is the patron of Athens and the judge in Orestes’ trial. She strives for justice, but at the same time feels a duty to protect her city. In contrast to the raging Furies and the often arrogant Apollo, Athena is a voice of reason and clarity.

What happens to the Furies at the end of the play?

At the play’s end, Orestes is acquitted, and the Furies are changed into the Eumenides (“Kindly”).

What was the trial in Eumenides?

The trial in the Eumenides is at once a conclusion-the conclusion to the story of Orestes and his family-and a beginning-the inaugural use of this new court and the inauguration of legal action rather than revenge as the appropriate consequence of an act such as Orestes’ matricide.

Who is the chorus in Eumenides?

The Chorus in The Eumenides Within The Eumenides, the chorus embodies the character of the Furies, fearsome and loathsome goddesses of the underworld who punishes those who commit crimes against the world’s natural order.

What is Oresteia summary?

The Oresteia tells the story of the house of Atreus. The first play, Agamemnon, portrays the victorious return of that king from the Trojan War and his murder by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus. At the play’s end Clytemnestra and her lover rule Árgos.

What is the moral of the Oresteia?

The moral applicable to Greek citizens was that they shouldn’t be like Orestes, Clytemnestra and Electra and they should not take justice into their own hands but instead they should solve their conflicts through law and trials.