'Agamemnon' Summary

Agamemnon, the victorious king of Argos, returns home from the Trojan War, unaware of the treacherous plot waiting for him. Clytemnestra, his wife, driven by a thirst for vengeance for the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia and her adulterous relationship with Aegisthus, plans to kill Agamemnon upon his arrival. The play opens with the Ghost of Thyestes, Agamemnon's father's brother, foreshadowing the tragedy to come. The Chorus of Argive Women witnesses the unfolding events and expresses anxieties about the future of the kingdom. Agamemnon's return is marked by his capture of Cassandra, a Trojan prophetess, who becomes a symbol of his downfall. Despite Cassandra's warnings of impending doom, Agamemnon's pride and the power of fate lead him to his tragic demise. The play ends with the triumphant Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, but their victory is tainted by the knowledge that their actions have unleashed a cycle of violence that will continue to haunt the House of Atreus.