Wiktor Wise
Electra is a tragic figure in Greek mythology, known for her passionate emotions and her quest for revenge. She is the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and her life is marked by a series of dramatic events that have inspired numerous works of art, literature, and theatre. The story of Electra has been told and retold by ancient Greek playwrights such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, each offering their own interpretation of her character and her role in the avenging of her father's murder. The tale of Electra has also been adapted into modern plays, operas, and films, showcasing the enduring fascination with this enigmatic heroine.
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What You'll Learn
Sophocles' Electra
The story of Orestes' revenge was a popular subject in Greek tragedies, with surviving versions by Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles. Sophocles' version of the story, "Electra", is a remarkable and brutal drama that recounts the murders of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus by Clytemnestra's son, Orestes, avenging his father Agamemnon's death.
In Sophocles' version, Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra had five children: Iphigeneia, Electra, Chrysothemis, Iphianassa, and Orestes. Electra, the titular character, is a daughter who mourns her father's death and bears witness to her mother's crime. She is scorned by her mother and treated almost like a servant, but she refuses to yield to their wishes and continues grieving. Electra's behaviour and constant mourning for her father lead to her punishment at the hands of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra.
The play is unique among Greek tragedies for its emphasis on action, with Electra's dominant presence on stage and her extreme emotions driving the narrative. It opens outside the royal palace of Mycenae, with Orestes' secret return after years away from home. Electra's mood shifts from grief to joy as Orestes carries out the bloody vengeance she has longed for.
The story has been translated into English by several scholars, including George Theodoridis, Anne Carson, and Michael Shaw. Carson's translation is particularly notable for its preservation of Electra's screams in their original phonetic form, capturing the raw emotion of the character.
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Euripides' Electra
In Euripides' version, Electra is portrayed as a shrewd yet feeling figure. She is consumed by hatred for her father's murder and seeks revenge. Unlike the Sophoclean Electra, Euripides' Electra tempers her emotions to accomplish her goals. She views avenging her father as a necessity rather than an emotional endeavour. This interpretation has been seen to represent the strength of unmaternal temperaments and the understanding between Electra and Clytemnestra of the gendered world they inhabit. Notably, in this version, Electra sets the trap that kills Clytemnestra, with Orestes playing a lesser role. Electra even feigns maternalism towards her mother, though interpretations vary on their relationship before this point.
The play opens with a prologue delivered by a poor farmer, who is the husband of Electra. When Electra reached marriageable age, Aegisthus, the new ruler of Argos, feared that she would marry a noble husband and bear children who might seek revenge for Agamemnon's murder. So, he marries her off to a poor farmer, who treats her kindly and respects her virginity. Electra helps her husband with household chores, lamenting her father's murder and her loss of status.
The recognition scene between Orestes and Electra in Euripides' play mocks that of Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy. In Aeschylus' version, Electra recognises her brother by a series of tokens, including a lock of hair, a footprint, and an article of clothing. In contrast, Euripides' Electra laughs at the idea of using such tokens, arguing that they are illogical. Instead, Orestes is recognised by a scar on his forehead from a childhood accident, alluding to a similar scene in Homer's Odyssey.
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Aeschylus' Electra
Electra, in Greek mythology, was the name of several women, one of whom was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. The story of Electra and her family was immortalized by Aeschylus in his trilogy of plays, The Oresteia, first staged in 458 BC.
In the story, Electra is furious with her mother, Clytemnestra, for betraying her father, Agamemnon, while he was away fighting in the Trojan War. Clytemnestra takes a lover, Aegisthus, and together they usurp the throne. When Agamemnon returns home, he brings with him a Trojan princess, Cassandra, as his mistress. Clytemnestra then lures Agamemnon to his death, killing him in a bath. However, her hatred for Agamemnon stems from an earlier betrayal: he had sacrificed their daughter, Iphigenia, to ensure favourable winds for their boats sailing to Troy.
According to Aeschylus, Electra is consumed by a desire for revenge against those responsible for her father's death. She is certain that revenge is necessary but is unsure of her ability to carry it out herself. She turns to her brother, Orestes, who has been raised by King Strophius of Phocis, to take on the role of avenger. Together, they plot their mother's death. In some accounts, Electra actively helps Orestes and his friend Pylades, son of King Strophius, to kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. However, there is disagreement among sources on how to characterise Electra's role in the murder.
Aeschylus' portrayal of Electra differs from that of Sophocles, who presents a more imposing and emotionally charged character. In Sophocles' version, Electra is consumed by hatred for her father's murderers and is saddened by his death, which fuels her desire for revenge. She is portrayed as being equally responsible for Clytemnestra's death, working alongside her brother Orestes as an equal partner. Euripides' Electra takes a more calculated approach, tempering her emotions to accomplish her goals. She is the ultimate leader in the plot to kill Clytemnestra, setting a trap and even feigning maternalism to ensnare her mother.
The story of Electra has been retold and reinterpreted numerous times over the centuries, in plays, films, novels, and poetry, each offering a unique perspective on this complex and intriguing character.
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Electra in Greek mythology
In Greek mythology, Electra or Elektra (/ɪˈlɛktrə/; Greek: Ἠλέκτρα, Ēlektra, "amber") was the name of several women:
Electra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra
One Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. She was away in Mycenae when her father returned from the Trojan War. Agamemnon brought with him the Trojan princess Cassandra, who had already borne him twin sons. Upon their arrival, Agamemnon and Cassandra were murdered by Clytemnestra herself, her lover Aegisthus, or both. Clytemnestra resented her husband for sacrificing their eldest daughter, Iphigenia, to the goddess Artemis to ensure favourable winds for sailing to Troy. Electra saved her younger brother, Orestes, from being killed by their mother by sending him away. Orestes was raised by King Strophius of Phocis and Anaxibia. Electra and Orestes plotted their revenge, and Orestes, along with his friend Pylades, son of King Strophius, killed Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, with Electra's involvement in the murder being disputed.
Electra (Oceanid)
Electra was one of the Oceanids, the wife of Thaumas, and the mother of Iris and the Harpies.
Electra (Pleiad)
Electra was one of the Pleiades.
Electra, one of the Danaids
Electra was one of the Danaids, the daughter of Danaus, king of Libya, and the naiad Polyxo. She married and later killed her husband, Peristhenes or Hyperantus, following her father's commands.
Electra, handmaiden of Helen
Electra was the handmaiden of Helen, who fastened her mistress' sandals when she went to the walls of Troy.
Electra, sister of Cadmus
Electra was the sister of Cadmus, who named the Electran gate at Thebes after her. Later writers noted that her name may have been another name for his mother, Telephassa.
The character of Electra has been depicted in various plays, operas, and films, including a lost play by Quintus Tullius Cicero, titled 'Electra', described as "a tragedy in the Greek style".
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Adaptations of Electra
The story of Electra has been adapted numerous times over the centuries, across different art forms and genres.
The character of Electra, the Argive princess and daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, has been the subject of several Greek tragedies, including plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. In these plays, Electra and her brother Orestes plot revenge against their mother Clytemnestra and stepfather Aegisthus for the murder of their father, Agamemnon. The story explores themes of justice, revenge, and family dynamics, with Electra's character portraying a range of emotions from hatred and sadness to philosophical contemplation.
One notable adaptation is Hugo von Hofmannsthal's play, "Electra" or "Elektra", which was first performed in Germany in 1903 and later published in English translation in 1908. Von Hofmannsthal's play is a free adaptation of Sophocles' ancient Greek tragedy, focusing on the consequences of Agamemnon's murder and Electra's obsession with avenging her father's death. The play has been praised for its powerful imagery and insight into the disturbed minds of its characters. It served as the basis for the libretto of Richard Strauss's opera, "Elektra" (1909).
In more modern times, the Electra myth has been adapted and modernized by various playwrights and authors. For example, Jean-Paul Sartre's play "The Flies" modernizes the Electra myth around the theme of existentialism. Luis Alfaro's play "Electricidad" (2004) is a modern adaptation set in the Chicano barrio. Other notable adaptations include "Electra and Orestes" (1972) by Adrienne Kennedy, "Electra" (1974) by Robert Montgomery, and "Electra/Orestes" (2015) by Jada Alberts and Anne-Louise Sarks.
The story of Electra has also had a significant influence on psychology, with the concept of the "Electra complex" being derived from her character. Proposed by Carl Jung in his Theory of Psychoanalysis, the Electra complex refers to a girl's psychosexual competition with her mother for possession of her father. While the term has been rejected by Freud as psychoanalytically inaccurate, it has nonetheless had a lasting impact on psychological theory and has been explored in works such as Sylvia Plath's poem "Daddy" (1962).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there is an English translation of Sophocles' Electra by R. C. Jebb.
Yes, there is an English translation of Euripides' Electra by Janet Lembke and Kenneth J. Reckford.
No, there is no English translation of Aeschylus' Electra.
