Agamemnon Character Analysis in The Eumenides

The former king of Argos, husband of Clytemnestra, and father of Orestes, Electra, and Iphigenia. Agamemnon was murdered by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus in Agamemnon, the first play of Aeschylus’s cycle. Orestes then murdered Clytemnestra to avenge his father’s death, at Apollo’s urging. As Orestes’ trial goes on, Agamemnon’s lingering memory also comes to represent male power, privilege, and misogyny in Ancient Greek society. Apollo argues—successfully—that Agamemnon’s life was worth more to Orestes than Clytemnestra’s was, because fathers are more important than mothers.

Agamemnon Quotes in The Eumenides

The The Eumenides quotes below are all either spoken by Agamemnon or refer to Agamemnon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Penguin Books edition of The Eumenides published in 1975.

Marriage of man and wife is Fate itself,
Stronger than oaths, and Justice guards its life.
…
I say your manhunt of Orestes is unjust.
Some things stir your rage, I see. Others,
Atrocious crimes, lull your will to act.

Related Characters: (speaker), , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 215-221

Explanation and Analysis:

So
You’d force this man’s acquittal? Behold, Justice!
Can a son spill his mother’s blood on the ground,
Then settle into his father’s halls in Argos?

Related Characters: (speaker), , , ,

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 659-662

Explanation and Analysis:

The woman you call the mother of the child
Is not the parent, just a nurse to the seed,
The new-sown seed that grows and swells inside her.
The man is the source of life—the one who mounts.

Related Characters: (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 666-669

Explanation and Analysis:

Orestes,
I will cast my lot for you.
No mother gave me birth.
I honour the male, in all things but marriage.
Yes, with all my heart I am my Father’s child.
I cannot set more store by the woman’s death—
She killed her husband, guardian of their house.
Even if the vote is equal, Orestes wins.

Related Characters: (speaker), , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 750-756

Explanation and Analysis:

Agamemnon Character Timeline in The Eumenides

The timeline below shows where the character Agamemnon appears in The Eumenides. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...then goes on to explain his history, recounting how his mother, Clytemnestra, killed his father, Agamemnon. He boldly states that he did indeed murder his mother in revenge, but adds that... (full context)

...but Orestes responds that he has “no regrets.” He also expresses faith in his father, Agamemnon, whom he says “will help me from the grave.” When the Furies indict him for... (full context)