Electra BY SOPHOCLES Play Information Originally written in

Electra BY SOPHOCLES

Play Information Originally written in ~400 BC This adaptation was first performed September 11, 1997 This play is a Greek tragedy

Plot Summary Electra is mourning the death of her father who was killed by her mother, Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus. Orestes, her brother, plots revenge by faking his death and slipping into the house as a stranger. Electra’s sister Chrysothemis tries to convince her to stop mourning, but winds up siding with Electra until they hear of Orestes’ death and she plans to kill Aegisthus. Orestes comes into the house pretending to be delivering his fake ashes and reveals his identity to Electra. They go inside and kill Chrysothemis and wait for Aegisthus to return home so they can kill him too

Plot • The Inciting Incident is when Electra sneaks out of the house and wails • The Climax is when Clytemnestra dies • Three major issues discussed in the play: 1. Loyalty for ones family 2. Dominance of men 3. Justice • The theme of the play is: Always have hope

Characters 1. Electra- a princess of Mycenae. She wants justice for the death of her father 2. Clytemnestra- the queen of Mycenae. She loves her children and killed her husband to avenge Iphigenia. She is a bad apple 3. Orestes- the prince of Mycenae. He plots revenge against Clytemnestra to avenge his father

Opposing Forces The protagonist of the play is Electra. We sympathize with her struggle throughout the play The antagonist of the play is Clytemnestra. She murdered her husband is constantly fighting with Electra

Setting The play takes place in the courtyard of the palace of Mycenae in ancient Greece

Vocabulary 1. Lamenting- to feel or express sorrow or regret for 2. Nightingale- any of several small, Old World, migratory birds of the thrush family, especially Luscinia megarhynchos, of Europe, noted for the melodious song of the male, given chiefly at night during the breeding season 3. Scourge- a cause of affliction or calamity 4. Retribution- requital according to merits or deserts, especially for evil 5. Stock- a quantity of something accumulated, as for future use: a stock of provisions

Vocabulary PART TWO 1. Proclaimed- to announce or declare in an official or formal manner 2. Revere- to regard with respect tinged with awe; venerate 3. Vengeance- infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge 4. Omen-anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future; portent 5. Sacrifice- the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage 6. Oracle- an utterance, often ambiguous or obscure, given by a priest or priestess at a shrine as the response of a god to an inquiry.

References I call upon Persephone- goddess of spring, and queen of the dead. I call upon the Furies- deities of vengeance. Both were said when she was asking for revenge for her father’s murder Delphic Games- a precursor of the Olympic Games. They were held in Delphi Io- a nymph who was seduced by Zeus Trojan War- waged against the city of Troy by the Greece after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta

Scenes and Monologues Electra- page 10 -11 Electra- page 17 -18 Electra- page 44 -45 Clytemnestra- page 23 -24 Clytemnestra & Electra- page 23 -29 Orestes & Electra- page 46 -49