The many, many, and many versions of Agamemnon

Sifting through the library stacks I came across the greek literature section and was overwhelmed of what I came across. At first I picked up a different version of Agamemnon and not the real trilogy (will post explanation later in this entry). So I thought it would be fun just to check out for any good reads any one wants:

G.Rosenmeyer, Thomas. The Art of Aeschylus. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1982. Print.

MacNeice, Louis. The Agamemnon of Aeschylus. New York: Brace and Companu, 1936. Print.

Smyrna, Quintus. The War at Troy. Norman: University of Oklahoma press, 1968. Print.

These will give different perspective of how translation are put into perspective. Also it lead me into the real literature form of Agamemnon. An excerpt from ORO:

 
"Oresteia,  the collective name given to the three Greek tragedies (trilogy) by Aeschylus on the story of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, and Orests, produced at Athens in 458 BC when it won the dramatic competition. It is the only trilogy that survives complete. The plays are Agamemnon, Chophoroe (‘libation bearers’), and Eumenids (‘kindly ones’, a euphemism for the Furies).

The story is taken from the mythical history of the descendants of Atreus in which crime led to further crime through several generations. The Agamemnon opens in an atmosphere of hope mingled with foreboding, as the watchman on the roof of Agamemnon's palace in Argos looks out for the signal beacon to announce the fall of Troy. After the signal is seen, the news is confirmed by the arrival of a herald. Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra appears jubilant, but the chorus of Argive elders recall Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter Iphigeneia to enable the Greek fleet to set sail, and brood over the possible consequences. Agamemnon arrives, bringing with him the captured Trojan princess Cassandra, his concubine. Clytemnestra treacherously welcomes him and then leads him into the palace. Cassandra, who has not spoken up to this point, is now moved to frenzied prophecy, foresees Agamemnon's murder and her own, as well as having a vision of the past crimes of the house, and utters a lament. She too enters the house, knowingly going to her death. The cries of the dying Agamemnon are heard. The interior of the palace is revealed, with Clytemnestra exulting over the bodies of the two victims. She answers the elders' reproaches by citing as justification Agamemnon's sacrifice of Iphigeneia. Aegisthus, her lover, appears, and subdues the elders with threats of force. The latter can only hope that one day Agamemnon's son Orestes will avenge him..."

So I was wrong with the correct literature title. It seems it was a trilogy of plays which makes his more fun and wide open. Also another excerpt of ORO of whom Aeschylus is...

"Aeschylus  (525–456 BC), the earliest Greek tragic poet whose work survives...Aeschylus is generally regarded as the real founder of Greek tragedy: by increasing the number of actors to two and diminishing the part taken by the chorus he made true dialogue and dramatic action possible."

So this makes me think that the dialogue and action are furth increase if chorus had been given up and the actors on stage have control. Awesome. This was an awesome research expierence for those are finding there literature production. Exciting.

References

"Aeschylus"  The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Ed. M.C. Howatson and Ian Chilvers. Oxford University Press, 1996. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  1 November 2010  http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t9.e72

 

"Oresteia"  The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Ed. M.C. Howatson and Ian Chilvers. Oxford University Press, 1996. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  1 November 2010  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t9.e2047>