Paracide. When Is It Justified?

The first time I read the Oresteia, one major major question stuck out in my mind. When is it justifiable to kill a parent. Of course, parents will say never. Yet, if the parent is abusive then shouldn't the child be able to defend his or herself. Shouldn't they be able to take vengeance? When the 16 year old girl is raped by her own father, shouldn't she pay him back some how? When the 12 year old boy is constantly beaten within an inch of his life, shouldn't he be allowed to fight back? I would have to say yes. However, today we have laws in place that will punish the one being abused just as much as those doing the abusing.

In our reading, we see twins who were basically tossed to the wolves as soon as their father left for war. Their mother sent them away. Electra became a servant and Orestes to be raised by another high ranking family in Greek society. Both needed their mother but were abandoned in her fits of rage and depression. Granted, Orestes got the better end of the bargain. Both of these children had to live with the fact that their mother walked away from them and killed their father. The abuse here is not as bad as some stories we may see in today's world, but it was no less traumatic to them in the story.

In one way, no the revenge Orestes sought was not justified. Paracide was a death offense of the highest order. However, Clytemnestra placed herself firmly in the Atreus curse cycle when she killed Agamemnon. So in that way, her death was justified. So I ask you all: when is paracide justified?

P.S. I commented on Anna Kate and Philip's posts.