Detailed Summary of Agamemnon by Aeschylus
Aeschylus’ Agamemnon is the first play in the only surviving Greek tragic trilogy, The Oresteia,
written in 458 BCE. The play is set in the aftermath of the Trojan War and tells the story of King
Agamemnon’s return to his kingdom, Argos, and his tragic downfall. It examines themes of
revenge, fate, justice, pride, and the consequences of human actions.
The play begins with a watchman stationed on the roof of the palace, looking for a signal fire
that will announce the fall of Troy. After ten long years of war, he finally sees the fire and
rejoices, hoping peace will return to Argos. However, he also senses unease, hinting that not all
is well in the royal house.
Queen Clytemnestra, who has ruled in Agamemnon’s absence, pretends to be loyal and joyful
at his return, but she has secretly plotted revenge. Years earlier, Agamemnon sacrificed their
daughter Iphigenia to appease the goddess Artemis so the Greek fleet could sail to Troy. This
act of betrayal turned Clytemnestra against him. During the war, she took his cousin Aegisthus
as a lover, who also holds a grudge because Agamemnon’s father once wronged his family.
When Agamemnon returns, he is celebrated as a war hero. Clytemnestra meets him with sweet
words and persuades him to walk on purple tapestries—an act that shows excessive pride and
disrespect toward the gods. With him comes Cassandra, a Trojan princess and priestess of
Apollo, who has been taken as a slave. She has been given the gift of prophecy, but cursed
never to be believed. Cassandra foresees her and Agamemnon’s murder, but no one listens. In
a powerful and tragic moment, she accepts her fate and enters the palace.
Offstage, both Agamemnon and Cassandra are murdered by Clytemnestra—Agamemnon is
killed while bathing, wrapped in a robe with no exit. When Clytemnestra appears before the
Chorus, blood-stained and proud, she justifies the killing as justice for Iphigenia. She argues
that Agamemnon had to die for the sin he committed against their daughter. Aegisthus arrives
and declares their joint rule over Argos.
The Chorus, made up of Argive elders, is horrified. They acknowledge the moral complexity of
the situation: while Agamemnon’s death may seem like justice, it also continues a long cycle of
blood vengeance that has plagued the House of Atreus. They warn that more suffering will
come. The play ends with a sense of doom and unresolved tension, preparing the audience for
the next part of the trilogy.
Through prophecy, irony, and powerful imagery, Agamemnon explores how personal revenge
becomes tangled with divine justice. It shows how past crimes echo through generations and
how pride and power often lead to destruction.
