Transformation in "The Oresteia"

Analytical Essay # 28340

English > Analysis
Literature > Greek and Roman
Sociology

Looks at how matriarchy and patriarchy in society are portrayed in Aeschylus' tragedy "The Oresteia".

908 words () | 1 source | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the concepts of matriarchy and patriarchy as portrayed within the ancient Greek tragedy "The Oresteia" by Aeschylus. Aeschylus believed a matriarchal society was destructive and used his play to make this point. The paper examines how he used both human characters and gods to represent both sides of the issue.

From the Paper:

"The Oresteia, a trilogy by Aeschylus, contains many independent themes woven in amongst one another. Perhaps the most prevalent theme in the plays is the conversion from a matriarchal society to patriarchal a society. In antiquity, societies were by and large patriarchal and, because he is of this time, Aeschylus attempts to describe how bad things would be if this wasn't so. In order to understand how and why the transformation from a matriarchal to patriarchal society takes place in the Oresteia, one must examine these changes on both the human and the divine levels."

More papers on Transformation in "The Oresteia":

View more related papers »

Cite this paper

APA Citation:

Transformation in "The Oresteia" (2012, January 15). Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Analytical-Essay-Transformation-in-The-Oresteia/28340

MLA Citation:

"Transformation in "The Oresteia"" 15 January 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://www.academon.com/Analytical-Essay-Transformation-in-The-Oresteia/28340>