The Libation Bearers: Is This a Justice? - Sophia Colbert (meme reference intentional)
After that exhilarating mock trial case we did for Clytemnestra, I couldn't help but wonder if Orestes would get the same verdict. For those of you who missed it, Clytemnestra was judged as justified for the murder of Agamemnon, but guilty for the murder of Cassandra. Could the same be argued of Orestes? Let's see the parallels: Clytemnestra stabbed Agamemnon for killing their daughter, Orestes stabbed Clytemnestra for killing his father. Cassandra was killed for having an affair with Agamemnon, Aegisthus was killed for having an affair with Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra wanted revenge for her daughter's death, Orestes wanted revenge for his father's death. Clytemnestra believed she was fulfilling justice for the gods, Orestes believed he was fulfilling justice for the gods. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? If we hold a trial for Orestes, I'm keeping these in mind.
P.S. I commented on Zelda and Will's posts.
P.S. I commented on Zelda and Will's posts.
I deeply, deeply regret being unable to add photos to comments... So I'll send it to the GroupMe instead!
ReplyDeleteThe big difference between Cassandra's murder and Aegisthus' is that Cassandra was a prisoner of war. I'm sure she was hardly willing to sleep with Agamemnon for any reason other than the high likelihood of being impaled for refusing him. Aegisthus not only chose Clytemnestra, he was all but an accomplice to her murder streak. I find Orestes' actions to be overall more justifiable than Clytemnestra's, but whether or not he's completely justifiable is still up for debate. If Clytemnestra is guilty of murdering Cassandra but not Agamemnon and Orestes murders her because of her murder of Agamemnon, is Orestes justified? Clytemnestra murdered unjustly, but we cleared her for the murder of the person Orestes specifically wants to avenge.
I feel responsible for creating a very confusing situation that we all have to sort through now, oops.