Significance of the Episode of the Red Carpet in Aeschylus’ Play Agamemnon
The Red Carpet plays a very significant
role in Aeschylus’ play, Agamemnon. Agamemnon was the supreme commander of the
Greek which besieged and destroyed troy. He was a great warrior and was
enriched in exceptionally good qualities. At the same time he had many
weaknesses. His besetting sin was his ‘hubris’ or pride. This evidently is one
of the seven deadly sins from the point of view of the ancient Greeks.
Clytemnestra, the lioness who had no
womanly passion in her and no trace of weakness, was not ready to absorb the
profound shock at the sacrifice of her most beloved daughter, Iphigenia lying
down. As we know Agamemnon had to sacrifice Iphigenia under compulsion. The
Greek fleet was unable to sail from Aulis because of adverse wind sent by
Artemis. Calchas, the seer told Agamemnon that it would be necessary for him to
sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia to placate the angry goddess. Iphigenia, an
innocent maiden was slaughtered on the altar for the sake of Helen, an
unfaithful woman.
Clytemnestra was resolute for revenge on
her husband as soon as he returned from Troy. She was all the more provoked at
the news of Cassandra, the lovely princess of Troy whom Agamemnon brought as
his mistress.
Red Carpet was laid for Agamemnon from
his chariot to the palace gate. It was an act of sacrilege to step on red
carpet which is tantamount to defying the authority of the divine powers.
Anybody walking on Red Carpet was charged with ‘hubris’ or pride. Clytemnestra
coaxed her husband to walk on it. Agamemnon was thoroughly conscious of the
sacrilege. But in a temporary abnegation and momentary insanity he thought he
was as great as Olympian and stepped upon the Red Carpet inviting his impending
doom.
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