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Orestes

By Euripides - Stage play

Stage playStageIntroductory monologue

Roles

  • Electra - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Female

About this piece

Electra summarizes the background story of the play

Summary

In the background story of the play Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, murders his mother in order to avenge the death of his father by her hands (Clytemnestra had killed Agamemnon because he had sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis). Now Orestes is being tormented by the Furies or Erinyes who are driving him mad. Also some citizens of Argos want to punish Orestes and execute him for the murder. Orestes plans to seek the help of his uncles Menelaus. The play starts with this monologue, in which Electra summarizes the events leading to the story of the play.

Tone

DescriptiveLamentingReminiscing life story/Telling a story

Use cases

classaudition
View on Actorama

Library metadata only. SceneFiend never includes script text here - pick up the published version to rehearse.

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