Oresteia

Oresteia 

• Genre: Drama; tragedy; classical literature 
• Originally Published: 458 BC 
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1380L; college/adult 
• Structure/Length: A trilogy of Greek tragedies; the plays are Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers (also known as Choephori), and The Eumenides; approx. 335 pages; approx. 4 hours, 30 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The trilogy narrates the curse on the House of Atreus. In Agamemnon, the king returns home from the Trojan War to be murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra. The Libation Bearers follows their son, Orestes, as he avenges his father’s death by killing his mother, leading to his torment by the Furies. The Eumenides resolves the cycle of vengeance through the establishment of trial by jury at Athens, absolving Orestes. The central conflicts explore themes of justice, vengeance, and the transition from personal retribution to societal law. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of murder, matricide, and revenge; supernatural elements and psychological torment; the complexities of justice and moral dilemmas

Aeschylus, Author 

• Bio: Born around 525 BC; died around 456 BC; often described as the father of tragedy; one of the three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived; his work is known for its introduction of dialogue and interaction between characters; significantly shaped the structure of Greek drama. 
• Other Works: Prometheus Bound (attributed to Aeschylus, but the authorship is disputed); The Persians, the oldest surviving play in the history of Western drama; Seven Against Thebes 
• Awards: First place at the City Dionysia of 458 BCE