Orestes

In what ways do vengeance and justice resemble and differ from each other, as portrayed by Euripides’s characters?

Explore the performance context of Athenian tragedy. In what ways does it guide interpretation of Euripides’s portrayal of the gods?

Describe the curse on the House of Atreus. What does it represent in the play?

Referring to her ancestral line, Electra states, “Nothing is so weak / and helpless as a fallen house” (142). What is the significance of this statement to the historical events of fifth-century Athens?

1.    Discuss the figure of Helen. What does she represent? How do you know?

The Chorus notes, “Human life passes understanding” (172). What does this suggest about how mortals should deal with human suffering?

Who or what do the Chorus of Argive women represent in the play? Draw on examples from the text to support your answer.

Consider Orestes’s emotional arc. To what extent does his character change, and to what extent does he remain the same?