Electra and OrestesIphigenia is one of the two daughters of Agamemnon and Clyteamnestra. Disregarding the curse on their family for King Tantalus cruelty, Iphigenias death is arguably the start and reason for all the happenings and tragedy of the trilogy. Though each relation to her in her family seems to react in different ways to her death. Obviously, we know Clyteamnestras response was one of grief. And Agmemnon seemed to believe her death was worth starting the Trojan War. But it is her siblings, Electra and Orestes, that react in a way that trouble and confuse me.
When we first meet Electra and Orestes we are shown their grief for their father and how they feel robbed of their father and great king by their mother. Between the lines of 240 and 245 of The Libation Bearers, Electra mentions the tears she has shed for Iphigenia. And then that is it. Iphigenia is not mentioned by them again. |
nasher.duke.edu (Iphigenia's Impending Sacrifice)
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Painting by John Downman, RA (The Return of Orestes)
Electra does not mention any ill feelings toward her father for killing Iphigenia. Even though her feelings for their mother killing their father is immediately made the center of the conversation. The hate Orestes and Electra feel towards Clyteamnestra for killing their father does not equate to their feelings for their father, even though he killed their sister.
This is never addressed in The Orestia. So as the readers, we are left to make assumptions to why this is the way Electra and Orestes reacted. Is it because Agamemnon had more power in their family? We see in The Eumenides that as a man, Agamemnon, had a reason to condemn his assassin. That the marriage between he and Clyteamnestra made his murder wrong in the eyes of the gods. Iphigenia is worthy of her death according to the gods that told Agamemnon to sacrifice her. So Electra and Orestes may not have been angry at their father for killing Iphigenia because of their belief in the gods. They also believed that Clyteamnestra murdered their father for his power, not just revenge for Iphigenia as she claimed.
This is never addressed in The Orestia. So as the readers, we are left to make assumptions to why this is the way Electra and Orestes reacted. Is it because Agamemnon had more power in their family? We see in The Eumenides that as a man, Agamemnon, had a reason to condemn his assassin. That the marriage between he and Clyteamnestra made his murder wrong in the eyes of the gods. Iphigenia is worthy of her death according to the gods that told Agamemnon to sacrifice her. So Electra and Orestes may not have been angry at their father for killing Iphigenia because of their belief in the gods. They also believed that Clyteamnestra murdered their father for his power, not just revenge for Iphigenia as she claimed.
Photo used under Creative Commons from dalbera
