'Andromache' Summary

Andromache, the play, begins with Andromache, the widow of the Trojan hero Hector, held captive by Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus. Pyrrhus, infatuated with Andromache, desires her as his wife. However, he is also betrothed to Hermione, the daughter of Helen, who is consumed with jealousy. Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and a close friend of Pyrrhus, arrives seeking revenge against Pyrrhus for the death of his father. Orestes is also secretly in love with Hermione, and he manipulates her jealousy to further his own agenda. As the plot unfolds, a series of betrayals and misunderstandings leads to a tragic climax. Orestes, driven by revenge and fueled by Hermione's jealous rage, kills Pyrrhus, leaving Andromache heartbroken and alone. Hermione, realizing the consequences of her actions, is left with a heavy burden of guilt. In the end, Andromache, left without a protector, is forced to flee with her son to the safety of the temple of Apollo, while Orestes, consumed by madness, is haunted by the ghosts of his actions. The play ends with a sense of despair and the recognition of the destructive power of unchecked emotions and ambition.