Essay About Death Of Agamemnon And Sense Of Drama

How Does Aeschylus Convey a Sense of Drama and Conflict in This Extract? Lines 907-940
Essay Preview: How Does Aeschylus Convey a Sense of Drama and Conflict in This Extract? Lines 907-940
Report this essay
How does Aeschylus convey a sense of drama and conflict in this extract? lines 907-940The short sentence ‘Leave all the rest to me’ creates tension and drama as it is foreshadowing the death of Agamemnon. Dramatic irony is created as the contemporary audience would have known that in fact Cytaemnestra is plotting against Agamemnon therefore by ‘leaving the rest to [her]’ he is inevitably leaving her to plan his own death. ‘We will set things right, with the gods help’ again creates drama as Cytaemnestra is referring again to Agamemnon’s death and how she will set things right by getting justice on the death of her daughter, Iphigeneia. ‘We will do whatever fate requires’ creates drama at it makes his Agamemnon’s situation seem futile as there is nothing he can do to avoid ‘fate’.  ‘This- you treat me like a woman. Grovelling, gaping up at me- what am I some barbarian peacocking out of Asia?’ This is the first time that Agamemnon speaks to Clytaemnestra since his return from Troy but all he seems to do is criticize her, creating a sense of conflict. Cyltaemnestra is seemingly showing him love; he doesn’t want to hear any of it. He doesn’t want her to praise him but instead wants the praise to ‘come from others’. Agamemnon shows signs that he feels superior to her as he shows disgust that she is treating him ‘like a woman’. The rhetorical question emphasizes how inferior she has made him feel as he asks whether he is a ‘barbarian peacocking out of Asia’. The verb ‘peacocking’ enhances the conflict in their relationship as Clytaemnestra has given him unwanted attention. The repetition of the harsh sounding adverb ‘never’ creates drama as he tries to assert dominance as he refuses to ‘walk on [the tapestries]’.  ‘There is no need to sound my reputation. I have a sense of right and wrong, what’s more heavens proudest gift’ Agamemnon claims that he has a sense of what is right and what is wrong also hints at conflict between Clytaemnestra and himself as she is going to kill him for killing their daughter, which he would have considered as being the ‘right’ thing to do. ‘Call no man blest until he ends his life in peace’ is dramatic as Agamemnon knows that in fact he cannot live his life in peace as the curse of the house of Atreus continues to live on. The stichomythia in the following dialogue between Clytaemnestra and Agamemnon creates a sense of conflict as there is rhythmic intensity as their violent dispute continues. Agamemnon is trying to conform to what he thinks is right (avoid behaving hubristically) ‘True to my ideals? Once I violate them I am lost’ however Cytaemnestra is still trying to persuade him to step on the tapestry, and therefore commit an act of hubris. She says ‘If Priam had won as you have, what would he have done?’. This emphasizes the extent of conflict as Clytaemnestra is