Instant downloads of all 1440 LitChart PDFs (including The Libation Bearers). Throughout The Libation Bearers, Electra exemplifies the old structure of Greek society before Agamemnon’s murder, hanging onto her unbending beliefs about justice, family, and religion. Read the Study Guide for Libation Bearers…, Chorus Metamorphosis (The Chorus of the Oresteia), An Examination of Imagery Across Genres: The Tragedy and The Epic, Old Argives, Enslaved Ingénues, and Grotesque Goddesses: The Chorus in The Oresteia, The Poetics in Aeschylus' Libation Bearers and The Eumenides, Electra and Traditional Greek Beliefs in The Libation Bearers, View Wikipedia Entries for Libation Bearers…. They also composed the music, choreographed the dances, and directed the actors. Analysis. Libation Bearers study guide contains a biography of Aeschylus, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Libation Bearers is the second play in a trilogy of tragedies by Aeschylus entitled the Oresteia. Not affiliated with Harvard College. He has the right to vengeance; she killed his father, and Orestes has responsibility to his dynasty. Save prep time and help your students read closely and actively with this bundle of Common Core aligned organizers, worksheets, projects, quizzes, and review materials for The Libation Bearers by Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus (525-455 BC) retells a story first made popular by Homer. She had planned, along with others,  to avenge her father by killing her mother. Agamemnon’s slaughter at the hands of his unfaithful wife sends Greek society crashing to the ground with an immoral and sadistic system rising to take its place. The Chorus delivers much of the exposition and expounds poetically on themes, but it is still meant to represent a group of characters. Aeschylus was the great father of drama in the West, and this trilogy provides the bulk of what we know about his ideas. After the defeat of the Persians in a decisive campaign (480-479 BC), Athens emerged as the superpower of the independent Greek city-states, and during this time, the drama festival, or the Dionysia, became a spectacular event. It is their lot to cling to men, even those who have caused their enslavement. Finkel 3 In the Oresteia’s second chapter The Libation Bearers, Orestes kills his mother Clytemnestra. 0. Chorus. Her husband murdered her daughter in order to go to Troy and recapture his brother’s wife for him. The Libation Bearers is the second part of Aeschylus' great trilogy, the Oresteia. In general, as noted by Aristotle, most Greek tragedies have action confined to a twenty-four hour period. Summary Read a Plot Overview of the entire play or a scene by scene Summary and Analysis. Aristotle writes in the Poetics that violence between those who are close is part of tragedy; the violence in the Oresteia all occurs between family members. It joins the excellent Eumenides by R. Mitchell-Boyask (2009), and, even more so than that book, its method ‘privileges theatrical performance as a means of interpreting a dramatic work’ (p. x). In this online interactive literature worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Aeschylus's The Libation Bearers. Read the Study Guide for Libation Bearers…, Chorus Metamorphosis (The Chorus of the Oresteia), An Examination of Imagery Across Genres: The Tragedy and The Epic, Old Argives, Enslaved Ingénues, and Grotesque Goddesses: The Chorus in The Oresteia, The Poetics in Aeschylus' Libation Bearers and The Eumenides, Electra and Traditional Greek Beliefs in The Libation Bearers, View Wikipedia Entries for Libation Bearers…. I guess, technically, this was a matricide, but there is so much Western literature that is based on royals killing each other. Look for repeated advice and capitalized terms that reoccur, especially "Justice." Clytaemestra and Aegisthus have seized power by force, and they have done little to make themselves loved since they have taken power. It has been said that Athens left the world two masterpieces of surpassing beauty: the Parthenon and the Oresteia. View All Characters in The Libation Bearers. Orestes, who has been exiled from Argos for many years, prays to Hermes, the god of the dead, to give him strength. LitCharts Teacher Editions. By the end of the play, we know that ridding himself of the Curse will not be so simple. Aeschylus (525-455 BC) retells a story first made popular by Homer. Main Themes Elements of Greek Tragedy Moral or Lesson of the Story “Antigone” “Agamemnon” “The Libation Bearers” “The Eumenides” “Medea” But the Oresteia has come down to us intact, and in it Aeschylus presents a vision that is whole, unique, and beautiful. What develops in “Oresteia”’s three tragedies – “Agamemnon”, “The Libation Bearers” and “The Eumenides” could be the plot of “Revenge! 1) When we first see Electra, she leads a Chorus of captive Trojan women to her father's grave to pour libations, wine and oil to placate the restless spirit of the dead king. In general, the choruses of the Oresteia are more integral to the action than in the works of the other two great Greek tragedians. (Part 1 is called Agamemnon , and Part 3 is called Eumenides .) “The Libation Bearers” deals with the reunion of Agamemnon‘s children, Electra and Orestes, and their revenge as they kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus in a new chapter of the curse of the House of Atreus. Although Orestes's cause is just, the Furies treat him in the end just like any other murderer, goading him … The Libation Bearers and Greek women It’s hard to know what Aeschylus had in mind, but, reading this play today, it might seem like Clytemnestra is hardly the villain here. Violence begets violence; the murders of Thyestes children continue to plague the House of Atreus two generations later. But by the end of the end of the whole trilogy, Orestes will have been key not only to ending the Curse, but also in laying the foundation for a new step in the progress of humanity. This The Libation Bearers Interactive is suitable for 10th - Higher Ed. Characters such as Clytemnestra, Orestes, and Prometheus personify a great passion or principle. Students may submit their answers to be scored. However, time elapses in non-naturalistic fashion: at certain points, from reports of what has happened offstage, it is clear that a great amount of time is meant to have passed even though only a few seconds have passed for the audience. In the first two parts of the trilogy, Aeschylus genders the conflict as one of female usurpers (Aegisthus is characterized as being feminine, because Clytaemestra is clearly the dominant partner) versus male rightful authority, embodied first in Agamemnon and then in Orestes. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. It was a highly stylized art form: actors wore masks, and the performances incorporated song and dance. Faster, Kill, Kill! Violence, Death, and the Dead. In The Libation Bearers ( Χοηφóρoι, Choēphóroi )—the second play of Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy—many years after the murder of Agamemnon, his son Orestes returns to Argos with his cousin Pylades to exact vengeance on Clytemnestra, as an order from Apollo, for killing Agamemnon. Much of her hate comes from the fact that she feels rejected by Clytaemestra; her betrayal of them could not cause so much hatred if she were not their mother. Consistent with the norms of Greek drama, The Libation Bearers is not divided into acts or discrete scenes. AESCHYLUS, LIBATION BEARERS. Chris Smith Libation Bearers Ethics Questions 1. This makes for some interesting contrast between the two plays. The Libation Bearers is the second play in the only extant trilogy from Ancient Greece, The Oresteia.Originally presented around 450 BCE at the City Dionysia, The Libation Bearers recounts the story of Orestes’ return to Argos. Libation Bearers literature essays are academic essays for citation. Of the seventy or so plays that he wrote, only seven have survived. It has been said that Athens left the world two masterpieces of surpassing beauty: the Parthenon and the Oresteia. The trilogies did not have to be an extended drama dealing with the same story, although often they were. The first episode of Libation Bearers takes about half of the play’s length, and it can conveniently be divided into three scenes. Athens was the only Greek city-state where this art form evolved; the comedies, tragedies, and dramas handed down to us from the period, although labeled generically as "Greek," are in fact all Athenian works. Greek drama was not meant to be what we would consider "naturalistic." I don't think so. Orestes is aware of the Curse on his house, and he hopes that in killing his mother he will put an end to the cycle of violence. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. I don't think so. By the sixth century BC, Athenians had transformed a rural celebration of Dionysis into an urban festival with dancing choruses that competed for prizes. C. W. Marshall’s Libation Bearers is the latest of the Bloomsbury Companions to Greek and Roman Drama, a high-quality series that has proved invaluable for university and school students. On each of three days, the Athenians were treated to three tragedies and a satyr play (a light comedy on a mythic theme) written by one of three pre-selected tragedians, as well as one comedy by a comedic playwright. Faster, Kill, Kill! With two actors and a chorus, complex plots and conflicts could be staged as never before, and the poets who competed in the festival were no longer writing elaborate hymns, but true plays. She had planned, along with others,  to avenge her father by killing her mother. The Question and Answer section for Libation Bearers is a great Preview. Aeschylus, The Oresteia, Part II: The Libation Bearers Study Questions. Yes, She dreams that she gives birth to a snake that drinks her blood. Of the 76 plays he is known to have written only seven survive--1. Also called philos-aphilos, this central theme is explained by Lattimore in his introduction (9-10). 4 Life Lessons From Aeschylus's Oresteia Greek tragedy contains valuable life advice. Roughly ten thousand free male citizens, along with their slaves and dependents, watched plays in an enormous outdoor theater that could seat seventeen thousand spectators. Aeschylus also shows some sensitivity to the difficulties that adhere to the position of women; the vulnerability of women is shown through Electra and the Chorus of slave women. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Finally, the gods must intervene to put a stop to the murders. Featured Scenes. The Libation Bearers is the second part of Aeschylus ' great trilogy, the Oresteia. Commanded by the god Apollo and accompanied by his friend Pylades, Orestes, the only son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, returns to his father’s court to avenge his murder. There is a scene change in the middle of the play, but that can be accomplished with minimal movement of set pieces in almost no time. 4 Life Lessons From Aeschylus's Oresteia Greek tragedy contains valuable life advice. Orestes must make a choice, and though his actions are justified, he cannot commit matricide without consequences. An important theme for Athenians. Note: We provide as many of our worksheets and organizers as possible in Word format to facilitate easy customization. Students may check some of their answers online. 0. The Libation Bearers itself stands at the crux of this transition, telling the story of Orestes's quest to avenge his father's murder by murdering his mother and her lover. GradeSaver, 1 May 2000 Web. Recognition Scene The first one of these three is famously known as the recognition scene. For modern readers, the Chorus may be the most alien element of the play. In The Libation Bearers (Χοηφóρoι, Choēphóroi)—the second play of Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy—many years after the murder of Agamemnon, his son Orestes returns to Argos with his cousin Pylades to exact vengeance on Clytemnestra, as an order from Apollo, for killing Agamemnon. THE LIBATION BEARERS - To get The Libation ... youngster to get a degree or during university lessons. The whole bloody history of the House of Atreus continues to affect events in the presence. ... Because of his patriotism and belief in divine providence, there is a profound moral order to his plays. Yes, She dreams that she gives birth to a snake that drinks her blood. The specific circumstances surrounding the origin of Greek drama were a puzzle even in the fourth century BC. The Question and Answer section for Libation Bearers is a great Suggested ... Get free lesson plans. It has been said that Athens left the world two masterpieces of surpassing beauty: the Parthenon and the Oresteia. Summary. Greek drama seems to have its roots in religious celebrations that incorporated song and dance. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Libation Bearers. The play opens at Agamemnon’s burial mound in Argos, before which stand Orestes (Agamemnon’s son) and his faithful companion Pylades. Aeschylus, The Oresteia, Part II: The Libation Bearers Study Questions. The first play did not take its name from the role of the Chorus (the town Elders on that occasion). When Orestes doubts if he can kill his own mother, Pylades tells him that he should count all men hateful to him rather than the gods. Unlike the Chorus in Agamemnon, the first part of the Oresteia trilogy, who were a bunch of weather-beaten old citizens of Argos, the Chorus of Libation Bearers is made up (a) of women, and (b) women who are slaves – i.e., foreigners. Sifakis gives some excellent examples of passages in tragedy that serve this function, arguing, for example, that in Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers, “the function of the kommos is to set the moral tone that will make Orestes’ dreadful task appear just and … This study guide works from the Richmond Lattimore translation. For more detail, see the separate page on “The Libation Bearers” . This The Libation Bearers Interactive is suitable for 10th - Higher Ed. Her husband murdered her daughter in order to go to Troy and recapture his brother’s wife for him. Synopsis. Yet the Chorus might be said to have the dominant ro The second play of the Oresteian Trilogy is the first one to feature the titular character Orestes, and indeed he is the most important character from now on. It’s hard to know what Aeschylus had in mind, but, reading this play today, it might seem like Clytemnestra is hardly the villain here. In The Libation Bearers, Electra is not present for any of the scenes of the murders of her mother and her lover, nor does she play any active role in creating the plot. Aeschylus was the great father of drama in the West, and this trilogy provides the … The Oresteia Trilogy ( Agamemnon, Libation Bearers or Choephori and The Eumenides ), 7. The Libation Bearers and Greek women. "Libation Bearers Themes". Suppliant Women, 4 - 6. Chris Smith Libation Bearers Ethics Questions 1. Apollo wants Orestes to marry Hermione so I'm thinking he goes to Argos with her. For more on tyranny, see the notes in the analysis for lines 653-782. The Libation Bearers is a play by Aeschylus that was first performed in 458 BC. ‘The former age of the Titans [is] brought back from Tartarus once more, restored to the light of day,’ as Nietzsche says, yet the new divinity that Aeschylus confers upon them is both primordial and perfected, too, a merger of the Furies and Athena. GradeSaver, 1 May 2000 Web. Thyestes' Curse is part supernatural, and partly a result of the nature of violence itself. Incredibly, the playwrights were more than just writers. Consequently, no murder can occur without guilt, and love is always accompanied by fear. She does not appear on stage again after the elaborate chanting scene where she and Orestes invoke the spirit of Agamemnon to aid them in carrying out their revenge. First performed in 458 BC, Libation Bearers is the second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy, preceded by Agamemnon and followed by Eumenides.The play is set in front of the palace of Argos, where, many years after the murder of his father Agamemnon by his mother Clytemnestra and her partner, Aegisthus, Orestes returns from exile to exact vengeance, commanded by the god Apollo. The Libation Bearers Clytaemnestra’s words of confidence are premature, however, as one remains who might take vengeance on the death of Agamemnon—their son, Orestes. Fairy Tales, Myths, and Their Agendas: An Analysis of Little Red Riding Hood, Into The Woods, and Libation Bearers. Part of Aeschylus' project is to fit the story of the House of Atreus into a grand design, explaining events in terms of the progress of civilization. What are some of the distinctions between the moral dilemmas of Agamemnon and Orestes? What develops in “Oresteia”’s three tragedies – “Agamemnon”, “The Libation Bearers” and “The Eumenides” could be the plot of “Revenge! According to Mircea Eliade, fairy tales and mythological stories are “models for human behavior [that,] by that very fact, give meaning and value to life (Bettelheim 35). Two themes come together in the Curse: the theme of history and the theme of violence's self-perpetuating nature. The leading resource for theatre artists. At the end of the festival, the tragedians were awarded first, second, and third prize by the judges of Dionysis. A large part of Orestes' justification is that the King and Queen have taken power unrightfully, and Orestes is the lawful heir to the throne. She encouraged Orestes to kill her mother. The legacy of the House of Atreus and the Trojan War, as well as the commands of Apollo, drive Orestes toward his fate.
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