Justification of Orestes in The Libation Bearers

Aeschylus alters our opinions of the characters in “The Oresteia” to provoke thoughts on the theme of justice in his plays. In “The Libation Bearers,” for example, Aeschylus has Orestes and others make reference to Agamemnon’s greatness and to the brutality of the murders, without mentioning facts that justify Clytaemnestra’s crimes. This technique makes Clytaemnestra seem cruel and heartless while giving Orestes the appearance of a wounded, forgotten son who needs to avenge the death of a good father. In addition to this, Aeschylus has Electra and the chorus incite in Orestes an almost eagerness to murder his mother and his mother’s mistress.