The Oresteia | All Three Plays | Complete Summary in English

The ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus created one of the most important and influential works of tragedy with his Oresteia trilogy. Comprised of the three plays Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Furies (Eumenides), this epic cycle explores themes of betrayal, vengeance, justice, and the transition from a moral order based on blood vengeance to one rooted in civic law.
In Agamemnon, the warrior king returns home from the Trojan War only to be murdered by his wife Clytemnestra as revenge for his sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. The Libation Bearers then sees their son Orestes avenge his father by killing Clytemnestra, leading to his pursuit by the ancient chthonic deities called the Furies. Finally, in The Eumenides, Orestes is put on trial with Apollo as his advocate, resulting in his acquittal by the goddess Athena, who establishes a new judicial system in Athens.
This monumental trilogy, first performed in 458 BCE, explores profound questions about the nature of justice, generational cycles of violence, and humanity's evolution toward a more enlightened society. Let's delve into the gripping story and brilliant poetry of Aeschylus' landmark Oresteia.

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