Agamemnon's excessive pride, or hubris, preceding his death is illustrated through the speeches in the play. The chorus warns that the gods are jealous of human achievement and will bring down those who become too powerful or successful. Agamemnon's hubris is shown when he claims the gods favor only the strong. His downfall comes when his wife Clytemnestra, driven by her own grief and desire for vengeance, lures Agamemnon into a trap using hubris and has him murdered upon his return from war. His hubris in refusing warnings and not respecting the power of the gods ultimately leads to his tragic downfall.

1. THE ROLE OF HUBRIS
THAT COMES INTO PLAY
BEFORE THE DEATH OF
AGAMEMNON
PRESENTED BY DAYAMANI SURYA

2. TITLE AND INTRODUCTION
The word hubris describes a personal quality ,
foolish pride or harmful overconfidence. In ancient Greek
context, it usually describes behaviour that defies the
norms of behaviour which challenges the gods thereby
brings about the downfall, or nemesis, of the perpetrator
of hubris.

3. ROLE OF HUBRIS BEFORE THE DEATH
OF AGAMEMNON
 The role of hubris or excessive pride preceding the death
of Agamemnon can be illustrated through the speeches
while they discuss the implications of being successful in
life:
The gods fail not to mark /Those who have killed many/The black furies stalking the
man/Fortunate beyond all right/wrench back again the set of his life/And drop him to darkness.
There among the ciphers there is no more comfort in power. And the vaunt of high glory is
bitterness; For Gods thunderbolts crash on the towering mountains/Let me attain to envied
wealth/Let me not plunder cities /Neither be taken in turn, and face/Life in the power of another
(Grene & Latimore 461-474).
This scene depicts Clytemnestra inducing her husband to stamp on the purple robes strewn in his path.
This act symbolizes hubris, it is an act that predicts his death. While focusing on those lines of the chorus,
the knowledge of the gods seems to be necessary. Those greek gods are good at their jealousy than to
reward human greatness, they often see mortal achievement as a potential danger to their own power.
When a greek human like Agamemnon rises to glory, he seems to be posing a threat to these gods.

4. Clytemnestra-her grief and hubris
Clytemnestra tries to lure Agamemnon to hubris in entering the palace, is driven to
something like hubris by her grief; vengeance that is similar to madness. It may be noted
that Cassandra is endowed with divine sight by suffering and wisdom; suffering without
wisdom is unyielding and can create monsters. Herodotus tells us in his Histories
that, “all excess in revenge draws down upon men the anger of the gods.” As
Clytemnestra crows over the dead bodies of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, we think
that her “masculine cruelty” has perpetuated a cycle of vengeance into the future.

6. HUBRIS IN THE PLAY OF AGAMEMNON IS DESCRIBED AS THE FOLLOWING :
First war scene in the movie when the king of Thesaly said that Agamemnon can’t have
the whole world because it’s big Agamemnon’s response is an evidence.
But the gods protect only the strong and by these words, he prides that the gods fear
him because of his mighty kingship among the Greeks. This scene is visible during
Agamemnon’s private conversation with his soothsayer.
Another is, when the latter prides himself during the discussion with the mighty warrior
of Greece. And due to his behaviour, the Greeks lost the fight against the Trojans in their
first encounter without the Myrimidon.
“No. You came here because you want your name to last through the ages of great
victory was won today, but that victory is not yours. Kings did not kneel to Achilles king
did not pay homage to Achilles.

7. SALIENT FEATURES OF THE
DOWNFALL OF AGAMEMNON
1. While Agamemnon was fighting the Trojans, his wife plotted to kill him in revenge
for the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia.
2. Agamemnon was warned by Cassandra, who had the power to tell the future that
his wife would kill him, but he did not believe it.
3. His wife, Clytemnestra welcomed his home with a bath to purify himself.
4. When she wrapped him in a garment after his bath, he could not move his arm.
5. Her lover, Aegisthus stabbed Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and Cassandra
6. Agamemnon’s son, Oresta eventually avenged the murder by telling both
Clytemnestra and Aegisthus with the help of his sister, Electra.

8. Recommended readings
1. Grene & Latimore 461-474
2. Achilles& Agamemnon : the essence of
hubris-Dragon gala
3. Aeschylus “ The Oresteia” Rufus F./February
20, 2010 in The League