Orestes

Roles

• Orestes - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Orestes justifies the murder of his mother to Tyndareus

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 uncle Menelaus. At first Orestes discusses with Menelaus his curse by the Furies. He seeks his help in the trial against him and his sister. Later he meets his grandfather, Tyndareus, on his mother's side, who scolds him for having killed his daughter. In this monologue Orestes tries to justify his murder to him, arguing that, even if he feels ashamed about having killed his own mother, he had to avenge his father's death.

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