Please read Aeschylus' Agamemnon (pp. 37-76 of Levi Lind's Ten Greek Plays in Contemporary Translation). If this is the first time you have read this play, I would recommend skipping over the long choral passages. Great writing, but not essential to what we'll be talking about Thursday.Directors sometimes encourage their actors to choose one special line and to center their whole performance on building to and building off that line. Assume you are asked to play one of the characters in Agamemnon or to be a member of the chorus. What line would you choose for your "special" line? How would you build up to or build off that line? Why would you choose that particular line?
her prayers and her cries of father,
ReplyDeleteher life of a maiden,
counted for nothing with those militarist;
but her father, having duly prayed, told the attendants,
to lift her, like a goat, above the altar
with her robes falling about her,
to lift her boldly, her spirit fainting,
and hold back with a gag upon her lovely mouth
by the dumb force of a bridle
the cry which would curse the house.
I think that the key drama of the play is obviously Clytemnestra's vengeance for Agamemnon's cruelty towards their daughter, as well as the bad blood between Agamemnon and Aegisthus. The Chorus' long speech and specifically these lines describing the ill-fated Iphiginea. I think it's especially dramatic that he'd sacrifice his own daughter who was good and faithful to Greece and him, for Helen whose affair was a betrayal and war for Greece.
Herald: "Day of good news should not be fouled by tongue that tells ill news. To each God his season. When despair in his face a messenger brings to a town that hated news of a fallen army—One general wound to the city and many men outcast, outcursed, from many homes by the double whip which War is fond of, Doom with a bloody spear in either hand, one caring such a pack of grief could well recite this hymn of the Furies at your asking. But when our cause is saved and a messenger of good comes to a city glad with festivity, how am I to mix good news with bad, recounting the storm that meant God's anger on the Greeks?"
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite parts. Leader is pressing Herald for information regarding Agamemnon's condition and whereabouts. Herald doesn't give into inquiries, wanting to stick to the good news--the taking of Troy. I picture Herald coming into the palace out of breath, but excited to proclaim their victory. I think of the information that Herald already knows he has to withhold and when he is met by Leader, he doesn't want to repeat himself too much. Leader, rightly tells Herald to let the kings wife, Clytemnestra, know right away. After Clytemnestra exits, Leader presses for that elusive info regarding Agamemnon. Herald isn't enticed, but instead holds his tongue not wanting to sour the already good news. I chose this line because I've often found myself being a bearer of good and bad news. I can identify with Herald not wanting to spoil the moment with information that may take a away attention from the Greek's victory. Because humanity has a tendency to focus on the negative, I think Herald uses wisdom here and in a way protects the listener. Plus, the news of victory is also Herald's victory. News of loss could leave Herald reeling from negative information, almost making him the bad guy. As they say, "Don't shoot the messenger." Smart move Herald.
Pg 73, lines 1550-1560
ReplyDelete"By my hand he fell low, lies low and dead
and I shall bury him low down in the earth
and his household need not weep him
for Iphigeneia his daughter
Tenderly, as is right
will meet her father at the rapid ferry of sorrows,
put her arms round him and kiss him!"
I thought this was very moving and descriptive. This whole play leads to Agamemnon's wife, Clytemnestra, killing him because of what he did to their daughter at the beginning of the war. No one should weep as he is now with his daughter dead, side by side. But when they meet in the afterlife his daughter will still embrace her murderous father with arms around his neck and with kisses. She will hold no grudge or hate towards her father now that they are both together in the afterlife. Clyemnestra is telling this part like it is the truth and the how the murdering Agamemnon should be seen as just. An eye for an eye.
Page 63-64 lines 1136-1139:
ReplyDeleteCassandra: "And for me also, for me, chance ill-destined!
My own now I lament, pour into my cup my own.
Where is this you have brought me in my misery?
Unless to die as well. What else is meant?"
If I had to play Cassandra in the play, I would base my acting off of this line. I feel that this line actively shows her misery in being a captive and concubine and her despair in this whole ordeal. She never wanted this and, yet, she is to die for being in relation to someone and being a part of something that she never asked for. On top of the emotion that this line carries with it, it also displays her prophetic abilities since she is lamenting over her fated, upcoming death. If I had to play her, I would definitely milk the feeling of despair and her resignment to her fate. I would also likely make her shift from despair to resignment abrupt, but continue to echo back to that clinging despair every now and again until she is dead.
Page 74, lines 1603-1611
ReplyDeleteAegisthus: “Result of this-you see this man lie here.
I stitched this murder together; it was my title.
Me the third son he left, an unweaned infant,
To share the bitterness of my father’s exile.
But I grew up and Justice brought me back,
I grappled this man while still beyond his door,
Having pieced together the programme of his ruin.
So now would even death be beautiful to me
Having seen Agamemnon in the nets of Justice.
If I had to play Aegisthus in this play, I would use these lines as the base for my performance. With Aegisthus having such a short amount of time on stage in the play, his motives need to be clearly understood for the actor as well as the audience. I would use these lines in particular because they give the clearest picture for Aegisthus’ motives. He explains here that he was the mastermind behind Agamemnon’s death, and that it was for Justice, not revenge for his brothers and his father, that he plotted his end. I feel that this, especially that it was for Justice, is something that I would need to understand if I were to portray this character, as it really serves as the core of his character. Fully understanding this, and being able to impart it effectively to the audience, I think would be key in understanding Aegisthus’s character and help to bolster the performance of his character within the limited time given to develop him.
-Sam Tucker
i cannot say a specific line that speaks to me, but i can say that Agamemnon was the single greatest piece of Aeschylus and probably the greatest tragedy of the era. the way it represents the endless cycles of violence and revenge with how the characters commit murder and cruel acts towards one another. the cycle only ends when Agamemnon himself is killed off by his wife. this story theme would be how the cycle of violence can effect just about anyone and only ends when all the major players are either dead, dying, or to learn to forgive, less the cycle continue and affect those not yet born.
ReplyDeletei would have to be the chorus because they often foretell the immediate effects of a main character's actions and foreshadow the long term consequences they could face. it is like the saying, "Old sins cast long shadows" meaning a character's past can ruin their future if they let it.
Page 69 Lines 1372-1398
ReplyDeleteIf I were to play Clytemnestra in Aeschylus's play Agamemnon, these are the lines I would use to center my whole performance on. This is her true shining moment when she finally becomes victorious in the goal she has been waiting for so long to do. I would build up to that line through all my actions beforehand and be able to gain my audiences attention and keep them questioning as to when I would finally succeed in my goal.
Ancient self-glory is accustomed
ReplyDeleteTo bear to light in the evil sort of men
A new self-glory and madness,
Which sometime or sometime finds
The appointed hour for its birth,
And born therewith is the Spirit, intractable, unholy, irresistible.
The reckless lust that brings black Doom upon the house,
A child that is like its parents.
After mentioning this line, I would show a toddler being throwing a fit. I chose this line because it reminded me of people throughout history. The beginning shows the deadly sins of mankind and the later part of the line shows how it affects our children. This line of the play could imply to the audience who are parents to not treat their children like slaves. I like it when certain lines or sense in movies that show symbolism. Pg. 55
Mitchell Buller
I agree with Tucker, If I was to play the role of Aegisthus, I too would choose lines 1603-1611 (pg. 74)
ReplyDeleteAEGISTHUS: “RESULT OF THIS-YOU SEE THIS MAN LIE HERE.
I STITCHED THIS MURDER TOGETHER; IT WAS MY TITLE.
ME THE THIRD SON HE LEFT, AN UNWEANED INFANT,
TO SHARE THE BITTERNESS OF MY FATHER’S EXILE.
BUT I GREW UP AND JUSTICE BROUGHT ME BACK,
I GRAPPLED THIS MAN WHILE STILL BEYOND HIS DOOR,
HAVING PIECED TOGETHER THE PROGRAMME OF HIS RUIN.
SO NOW WOULD EVEN DEATH BE BEAUTIFUL TO ME
HAVING SEEN AGAMEMNON IN THE NETS OF JUSTICE."
Aegisthus is the cousin of Agamemnon. His father along with Agamemnon's fought for the throne. After what Agamemnon's father did to Aegithus' brothers and father Aegisthus is exiled. Prier to the lines I'd use Aegisthus explains this. Having a small yet important role I would want to get straight to the point as this character. I believe that this line is almost villain like and would give the audience goosebumps.
Line 855 Clytaemenstra."Citizens of Argos, you Elders present here, I shall not be ashamed to confess in your presence my fondness for my husband -- with time diffidence dies away in humans."
ReplyDeleteI like this line for many reasons and would choose to build off of it. This line shows a lot of confidence for not only her, but also with what she has for her husband. She is saying that with time humans become more confident. I couldn't agree more as you grow older you learn things and the more you have learned the more confident a person becomes. This is a great line to build off of.
"The young are weakly as the old,
ReplyDeleteAnd each alike unmeet to hold
The vantage post of war!"
I would choose these lines from the choir because I think these lines really gives you the emotion aspect of the play. I would definitely play these up to be very dramatic and make sure that these lines were heard. These lines are in the middle of the song, so easily missed. I would make sure the audience heard and understood these lines.
By Tabitha Sonne
Delete