Questions, Snakes, Guilt, and Hesitance -Sydney Snow
There were a couple of things that stood out to me while reading this play. I also had many questions while reading. Why was Orestes exiled? Where was Electra when the first two murders took place? Why were Clytaemnestra's other two children never mentioned in the first play? Why is the Chorus made up of women instead of men like it usually is? I do not know if I just missed the answers to these questions while reading, but I definitely plan to re-read and revisit these questions.
What first stood out to me while reading was Clytaemnestra's dream about the serpent. While reading this dream in lines 509-526, the thought that Orestes would be the serpent did not pop into my head. I thought that maybe she would get pregnant and bare a child that would seek revenge on her. But, the fact that Orestes is the serpent in her dreams really adds more drama and interest to the play. I also noticed the fact that a serpent is used in numerous writing to display some kind of deception or evil, like in Gilgamesh or the Bible.
What stood out next was the fact that Clytaemnestra felt some sort of guilt for killing Agamemnon. She made this huge deal about how Agamemnon should be die for the murder of their daughter, but I do not think she thought about the way she would feel after everything was said and done. Why would she feel bad if she wanted him dead by her hand?
Also, the fact that Orestes was hesitant to kill his mother. He, like Clytaemnestra, made a big deal over his father's murder. He goes around proclaiming that he is going to kill her and her lover, and gets everyone in on his plan. But, when it comes down to killing his mother, he hesitates. I feel like that is just a normal response to killing one's mother, or at least I hope it is. I personally would not know. I find it very interesting that both Orestes and his mother both act in similar ways. They both make this huge deal about the murders (but who wouldn't?), seek revenge, and afterward feel some sort of guilt for what they have done.
Sydney Snow
I commented on Zane's and Trey's posts.
What first stood out to me while reading was Clytaemnestra's dream about the serpent. While reading this dream in lines 509-526, the thought that Orestes would be the serpent did not pop into my head. I thought that maybe she would get pregnant and bare a child that would seek revenge on her. But, the fact that Orestes is the serpent in her dreams really adds more drama and interest to the play. I also noticed the fact that a serpent is used in numerous writing to display some kind of deception or evil, like in Gilgamesh or the Bible.
What stood out next was the fact that Clytaemnestra felt some sort of guilt for killing Agamemnon. She made this huge deal about how Agamemnon should be die for the murder of their daughter, but I do not think she thought about the way she would feel after everything was said and done. Why would she feel bad if she wanted him dead by her hand?
Also, the fact that Orestes was hesitant to kill his mother. He, like Clytaemnestra, made a big deal over his father's murder. He goes around proclaiming that he is going to kill her and her lover, and gets everyone in on his plan. But, when it comes down to killing his mother, he hesitates. I feel like that is just a normal response to killing one's mother, or at least I hope it is. I personally would not know. I find it very interesting that both Orestes and his mother both act in similar ways. They both make this huge deal about the murders (but who wouldn't?), seek revenge, and afterward feel some sort of guilt for what they have done.
Sydney Snow
I commented on Zane's and Trey's posts.
Comments
Post a Comment