Lifelong Learning course Oresteia trilogy, by Aeschylus structure Douglas Kenning (line numbers correspond to Lattimore's Chicago translation). parados = 1 st entrance of the Chorus, usually from the parados entrance to left & right of stage. episode = dialogue between characters or characters & Chorus stasimon = a choral ode, especially in tragedy, divided into strophe & antistrophe, when they comment on the situation, or praise or beseech the gods parabasis = choral ode addressed to the audience, after the actors have left, usually independent of the action of the play epirrhema = address spoken by the leader of the chorus after the chorus had sung an ode; part of the parabasis kommos = lyrical song of lamentation Agamemnon Prologue: 1-39. The watchman tells about the hardships of his long watch, & is joyful when he sees the beacon announcing the fall of Troy. Parodos: 40-257. The Chorus of Argos elders enters, dancing & singing. They describe the events surrounding the sailing of the fleet for Troy ten years earlier, especially Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter Iphigeneia. First Episode: 258-354. Clytaemestra announces the fall of Troy, but the Chorus disrespectfully are skeptical. Clytaemestra describes the relay of beacon fires that have brought the news. First Stasimon: 355-474. The Chorus tells how Zeus has punished the misdeeds of the Trojans, & reminds the audience of how much pain the war has caused the Greeks. Second Episode: 475-680. Herald arrives & affirms the victory at Troy. Clytemnestra has an angry I told you so rebuff of the Chorus. Second Stasimon: 681-781.The Chorus reflects on the destructive power of Helen, & debates whether it is wealth by itself, or only acts of evil induced by wealth, that causes disaster for humans. Third Episode: 767-974. Agamemnon arrives triumphantly, with Cassandra in a cage. Clytaemestra convinces him to walk on the embroidered tapestry into the house. 1
Third Stasimon: 975-1034. The Chorus expresses their ominous feelings. Fourth Episode: 1035-1068. Clytaemestra reappears & tries to get Cassandra to go within. She fails, & returns alone into the house. Kommos: 1069-1177. Cassandra sings cryptically about the history of the house of Atreus, & what is to occur. Fifth Episode: 1178-1447. Cassandra then speaks more clearly about the crimes of the house of Atreus, & Agamemnon's & her own impending death. Cassandra goes into the house to her death. Fourth Stasimon: The Chorus hears & reacts to Agamemnon's death cries, Sixth Episode: 1448-1576. Clytaemestra reappears in triumph with bodies of Agamemnon & Cassandra & justifies her actions. Chorus & Clytemnestra argue. Exodos: 1577-1673. Aegisthus appears & argues with & threaten the Chorus. Play ends with Clytemnestra & Aegisthus ruling an unhappy Argos. The Libation Bearers (a.k.a. Choephori) Part I: 1-584. At Agamemnon's Tomb Prologue: 1-20. Orestes & Pylades arrive at the tomb of Agamemnon. Orestes leaves a lock of hair on the grave Parodos: 21-83. The Chorus (accompanied by Electra) enters bearing libations to honor dead Agamemnon ordered by Clytemnestra because of her nightmare. Electra recognizes the lock of hair. First Episode: 84-584. a. Recognition Scene: 83-311. Electra recognizes Orestes. b. Kommos: 312-465. The Chorus, Electra, & Orestes mourn Agamemnon. c. Dialogue/Planning: 466-582. Electra, Orestes, & the Chorus plan the murder of their mother. First Stasimon: 585-651. The Chorus compares the murder of Agamemnon to other terrible natural & mythological disasters. 2
Part II: 652-1076. At the palace. Second Episode: 652-718. The disguised Orestes tells Clytemnestra of the death of Orestes. Second Stasimon: 719-731. The Chorus prays to Gaia (goddess Earth) for help. Third Episode: 732-782. The Nurse grieves Orestes' reported death, & the Chorus enlists her help to summon Aegisthus. Third Stasimon: 783-837. The Chorus prays to Zeus & other gods for help. Fourth Episode: 838-854. Aegisthus arrives & goes inside the house to be killed. Fourth Stasimon: 855-868. The Chorus prays to Zeus for help. Fifth Episode: 870-930. Clytaemestra & Orestes argue; Orestes kills Clytaemestra. Fifth Stasimon: 931-971. The Chorus supports Orestes' actions, & hopes the chain of retribution is over. Sixth Episode: 972-1062. Orestes explains why he has acted as he did, but then is attacked by the Furies. Exodos: 1062-1076. The Chorus asks how this will all end, pointing us to the next play. Eumenides Part I: 1-234 At the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. Prologue: 1-142. The Pythia (priestess of Apollo at Delphi) prays to the goddesses & gods of Delphi. She enters the temple, & emerges immediately in a state of horror, having seen Orestes within surrounded by sleeping Furies. The Pythia exits & the doors of the temple open. Apollo tells Orestes to flee to Athens & Clytemnestra s ghost awakens the sleeping Furies. First Parodos: 143-177. The Chorus of Furies awakens, & complain about the interference of Apollo & other Olympian gods. First Episode: 179-234. Apollo reappears, & he & the Furies argue about the guilt of Orestes. The Furies depart for Athens to find Orestes. 3
Part II: 235-1047 At the Temple of Athena on the acropolis in Athens. Second Episode, part 1: 235-253. Orestes comes to Athena as a suppliant. Second Parados: 254-275. The Chorus of Furies arrives & renews their attacks on him. Second Episode, part 2: 276-306.Orestes pleads that he has been purified of his blood guilt by Apollo, & calls to Athena & her city to defend him against the Furies. First Stasimon: 307-396. The Chorus of Furies evoke their powers as goddesses of justice & revenge. Third Episode: 397-488. Athena appears & listens to the complaints of the Furies & Orestes' defense. Athena announces a court of citizens (the Court of the Areopagus) to hear the case. Second Stasimon: 490-565. The Furies again describe their view of justice & argue that fear of justice & revenge is good for a city. Fourth Episode, part 1: 566-777. Athena opens the trial. The Furies, as prosecuting attorneys, interrogate Orestes. Apollo, Orestes defense attorney, argues that a mother does not share a blood tie with her child, so matricide is not worse than other justified vengeance killings. The jury vote is split, but Athena casts the deciding vote for acquittal. Orestes sets out to return to Argos as rightful ruler. Third Stasimon: 778-792. The Furies are stunned & threaten to unleash destruction on Athens. Fourth Episode, part 2: 793-915. Athena gradually persuades the Chorus of Furies to give up their anger, & then persuades them to take on a new role in Athens as Eumenides ("the Kindly Ones"), who will help the city prosper & be honored by all Athenians. Exodos: 916-end. The Furies accept Athena's offer, & they & Athena describe the role they will play at Athens. Athena's asks her attendants to escort the Eumenides in solemn procession to their new home in the caves below the Acropolis. 4
lifelong learning course on Ancient Greek Drama Douglas Kenning The Idea of Tragedy Nietzsche s summation of Classical Greek Tragedy: a finite, limiting, Apollonian definition of a yawning Dionysian mystery, windows into the Abyss, and entering them can be both terrifying and profoundly centering From The Idea of Tragedy chapter in Edith Hamilton s The Greek Way: Tragedy, far more than simply a form of staged drama, is a way of looking deeply at the human condition. The tragic view was invented by the ancient Greeks and all subsequent expressions of it refer back to them. The tragic view of life, -- illuminates life s dark confusions by gleams fitful and wavering, contrasted with the fixed light of religious faith and rationalism. -- yet distinguishes from all other art by a religious-like calm and serenity at the core of pain and horror. -- belongs to the language of poetry. The Greeks first turned the spotlight on the human condition. Below an awareness of the obvious wrongs within human life is the realization that there is something irredeemably wrong with the condition of being human itself. That is the realm of tragedy, and its true language is poetry. Only the power of poetry gives us the language to face existential terror. Only poetry can both look into the sun and tread the darkest caverns, and from life s unresolvable dissonances strike one clear chord. -- incites a rapture that has nothing to do with cruelty or lust for blood. Instead, in tragedy pain is charged with exaltation. That is, voyeurism and pathos drag us down, but we climb to the heights of tragedy. That singular swing toward elevation (Schopenhauer) is the movement of tragedy. The surface of daily life is comedy s arena. -- allows us to share the suffering of a soul that has risen to great height and whose fall illustrates the greatness of suffering itself. That is tragedy. Why is the death of an ordinary person a wretched, chilling thing, a thing from which we turn in sadness or horror, while the death of a hero, always tragic, warms us with a sense of quickened life? The Greeks used myths for their subjects, for daily life is too muddy and common for the clear note of tragedy. This is why modern, character-driven unmasked productions of ancient Greek drama do not work. Those are about individual character, and individual character is of daily life. In a mask, the fall of the great personage becomes our fall, and the staged death becomes the death of us all. -- cannot exist where human life is not valued as full of dignity and significance. When human life is seen as trivial, base, existential or absurd, then the spirit of tragedy departs [see Auden s poem The Shield of Achilles ]. Because American culture mocks dignity, seeks to debase nobility of character, and celebrates the trivial, the tragic note here rungs false, and we only know how to parody it.