The Oresteia, consisting of three plays typically titled Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, is the only surviving trilogy from Classical Greece. It won the coveted first prize at the Dionysia Festival in Athens in 458 BC.
The trilogy presents the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, her subsequent killing by her son Orestes, and the cessation of the family’s revenge killings by a vote of an Athenian jury plus that of the goddess Athena. The plays, individually or as a trilogy, have been translated and performed many times. We’ll explore how they deal with the themes of revenge and justice, and what role is played by the gods.
What to Expect: Forest will lead a thoughtful discussion around the key philosophical elements raised in the reading.
Feedback from Forest’s past courses:
“Forest led us through a survey of the thinking of John Stuart Mills while stretching out critical reasoning to imagine what Mills would say about the times we find ourselves in America”
“A great exploration of a deep thinker and the implications of his philosophy for today. A fine group of thoughtful participants, each contributing interesting interpretations of Mills’ work. Forest’s guidance of the group was masterful!”
“Forrest does a great job helping the class navigate interesting and complex philosophical issues.”
Course Links:
