The Orestia

Trilogies of Greek drama are sometimes based upon a reoccurring theme. In Aeschylus’ The Orestia, the theme of the “curse on the house of Atreus” foreshadows the fate of the trilogies characters. The curse is based upon the revenge ethic. It is believed that justice and personal revenge belongs to the insulted or to someone directly related, preferably blood. In this case, justice is carried out by murder. In the first play of Aeschylus’ trilogy, “…

…man near them till destruction without a sound levels him down loudly boasting: viciously, angrily, into the dust.”(p.197) Therefore, the Curse on the House of Atreus caused an evil cycle of betrayal and revenge among family members. Once a cycle starts, it is hard to break and could go on forever leading to more destruction and pain. It only takes one to break that cycle, but it’s hard to find someone that strong.