Three desperadoes try to get out of a life or death situation
The Furies torment Orestes for killing his mother, even though the
murder was committed at Apollo’s command.
Only his sister Electra can comfort him in his sickness. Orestes pleads with his uncle for help. His uncle declines – now Orestes and Electra
must go before the citizens and argue their case. Alas, they lose and Orestes and Electra must
now kill themselves. Orestes’s loyal
friend Pylades arrives. The trio
concocts a plan to free themselves, which involves killing Helen their aunt,
and Hermione their cousin and foster sister.
Luckily Apollo swings overhead from a crane, removes the death sentence
and orders everybody to marry each other.
This Greek tragedy felt like a spaghetti western or like Bonnie and
Clyde. Orestes and Electra have no
compunction about murder – they are only interested in getting out of their
death sentence. They try to reason with
people. When people will have none of
it, they enact their rescue plan.
Orestes is persuasive at the beginning, as he suffers from guilt and
madness. Electra’s devotion to him is
touching. Their solution, however, is
too cold blooded (perhaps only for modern readers.)
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