Aigisthos: Insight on a Fool Carissa Bolles College

The Oresteia by Aeschylus is a trilogy of tragedies expressing the strength women possess, but, on the flip side, it also expresses the cowardice of some men—one man in particular. This man’s name was Aigisthos. Aigisthos is only present in the first and second plays of the trilogy, and he barely shows up for the majority of each tragedy. Despite this, Aigisthos’ seemingly minor role, has a clandestinely powerful contribution in the shaming and demise of Agamemnon. With his cunning trickery, his power-hungry cowardice, and his dimwitted blunder, Aigisthos does more than simply avenge his father. He induces his own annihilation. Aigisthos, a man defending his honor as many men do during this time, goes about his scheme in an unexpected way. Like the serpent from Genesis, Aigisthos cunningly deceives the woman and the household without raising a weapon—unless his lustful thinking and sharp mind are categorized in the archives as artillery.

During this era, the men were superior, so, in relation, men were allowed to have many wives, concubines, and mistresses without raising reproof. In correlation to this, it was humiliating for men to have their wives stolen from them. Klytemestra is mentioned twice as “Agamemnon’s queen,” thus...