Gender and Sexism in the Oresteia

Throughout the Oresteia, Aeschylus portrays gender as a socially fickle issue that results in increase miasma within the admit of Atreus. Aeschylus engages the cultural significance stool such(prenominal) sexist disputes by depicting gender-based competition among Greeks who experience threatened when separates do non maintain their expected virile and feminine identities. However, he indicates that when wowork force do act accordingly, they are so far belittled from both men and other women. Through his delineation of sexist double standards and societys rejection of diverse gender expression, Aeschylus exposes the widespread, unjust underestimation of females, who in the end, ironi jawy give authority. \nFor an A pastian citizen, power and effectuality are essential qualities to legitimateize in order to be respected; yet such traits are deemed too manful for women and therefore are unless celebrated when men oblige them. For example, Agamemnon is well regarded f or representing the culturally sample sense of virility for contend at Troy and locomote home safely, while, Aegisthus on the other hand, is mocked for his weak, effeminate qualities. In The Libation Bearers, Orestes honors the soldiers efforts and then ridicules Aegisthuss unmanly complacency, saying, Besides, the lack of patrimony presses hard; and my compatriots, the glory of men who toppled Troy with nerves of notification steel, go at the beck and call of a brace of women. Woman-hearted he is (Aes., Ag., ll. 307-311). Aeschylus specifically uses this quote to turn up Orestess disapproval of Aegisthus who stays at home under the blueprint of Clytemnestra, while other real men like Agamemnon defend Athens. \nHowever, Aeschylus also highlights Orestess misogynistic views towards his own mother, a perspective that resurfaces. For instance, Orestes maintains these views even when he disguises himself as a alien to greet his mother: have it away out! Whoever rules the hou se. The woman in charge. No, the man, bet...