The guilt of Agamemnon

 

Write an essay on the guilt of Agamemnon which proved disastrous in the life of a great hero.

Ans. It was taken for granted that Aeschylus was a bold religious innovator propounding advanced doctrines. This theory can no longer be accepted without farther introspection and argument. The nature of justice Aeschylus spoke about was nearer to ancient Hebrew justice which advocated eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. But whatever notion of justice we attribute to Aeschylus, no modern critic will dispute the paramount importance of justice in his immortal works.

 

His most powerful play Agamemnon shows how the supreme commander of the Greek invasion of Troy and the chosen man of the Zeus meets a pathetic end. The precursor to this miserable end has been set from the very moment when the Greek fleet was prevented from sailing and remained motionless at Aulis. Goddess Artemis becomes incensed with Agamemnon, and sends unfavourable winds to keep the fleet motionless. Agamemnon had only two options. Either the great expedition ordered by Zeus must be given up or the king must sacrifice his own daughter Iphegenia to appease goddess Artemis. He goes for the second option and consents to the sacrifice of his loving daughter. This cruel and heartless decision earns him the bitter enmity of his wife who when hears this news a for home in Argos plans to finish him as soon as he returns.

 

Secondly Atreus, Agamemnon's father long time ago killed the two young male children of his brother and served him with their cooked flesh at a banquet. The lone survivor Aegisthus, now grown up, is waiting for revenge.

 

The assessment of Agamemnon's is of great importance for the understanding of the play. The invasion of Troy was due to the wish of Zeus. But how unfortunate it was that he consented to his daughters sacrifice under compulsion while Zeus allowed him step into the trap of inevitable destruction. Next he was in no way responsible for his father's crime. Was he, then, punished for his pride and arrogance? All these questions are controversial. And yet he had to pay dearly for guilts he was not even indirectly responsible of.