Strength in Duality

In Aeschylus Agamemnon, gender roles and attributes are extensively explored through

Clytaemestras complex character. Her ability to move between the characteristics of both male

and female emphasizes the duality of her character. Clytaemestra proves herself as an example

of a deadly dame by viciously murdering her husband in an attempt to avenge the daughter,

Iphigenia, he sacrificed. Had Clytaemestra just used brute force as a man would, or simply

followed the feminine norm, she may have not been able to achieve her vengeance for her

daughters death. The duality and mixture of the stereotypical characteristics of each gender

present in Clytaemestra is what allows her to finally kill Agamemnon and avenge her daughter.

When Clytaemestra is first mentioned, she is portrayed with strong male qualities. The

watchman acknowledges that she is a lady with a male strength of heart providing a clear

distinction between gender roles (10). He is referring to her ruling Argos for the last ten years

without Agamemnon. Additionally, the elders acknowledge Clytaemestras power as a female

regent for when the man is gone and the throne void, his right falls to the princes lady, and

honor must be given (259). The approach of the chorus is a statement of the power

Clytemnestra has held during the absence of Agamemnon; something she is unwilling to give up.

This further removes her from the typical role as a woman, who usually would have no reigning

power.

Though there is a masculine representation of Clytaemestra, she is still seen as a woman.

When she tries to tell the chorus of Agamemnons return, they cannot understand what she is

saying and ask her what have you said? Your words escaped my doubting mind as if the female
language is incomprehensible by men (267). However, the elders are skeptical of Clytaemestras

claims that Troy has fallen, which belittles her further. In response, she asks am I some young

girl, that you find my thoughts so silly? (277). After she is able to make the chorus believe her,

they comment that she speaks graciously like a prudent man (351). The entirety of this scene is

not only condescending of her character, but also portrays the stereotypical woman who cannot

speak and think objectively like a man.

Nonetheless, Clytaemestra always seems to push the stereotypical gender norms set aside

for woman. Clytaemestras femininity through her role as a mother is very complex. While she

ultimately kills her husband, defying one gender norm, supposedly out of a maternal instinct as

revenge for her daughter, she also sends Orestes away from the kingdom, thereby choosing

power and her lover over her son. She commits the murder as vengeance for her daughter,

showing how much love she must have had for her child, but this is juxtaposed with what she did

to her son and husband. This shows yet another duality in her character, is she capable of love or

simply ruthless? This simply adds to her ability to achieve what she wants. The love for her

daughter serves as her motivation while her ruthlessness allows her to carry out her actions.

Clytaemestra is independent and intelligent and she uses her skills, combined with her

womanly wiles, to create a trap for Agamemnon. Upon Agamemnons victorious return to his

home, Clytaemestra lures Agamemnon into a false sense of security by being both submissive

and coy. She tells him that how much she has missed him and that he will find a wife within his

house as true as on the day he left her (606). She does not aggressively attack him the moment

he arrives. She does not even object to him bringing home another woman. Though she is not
happy with the arrival of Agamemnons concubine, she still instructs Cassandra to go within the

house as well (1035). She simply plays the part of simpering and submissive wife when he

returns back home so that she can coax him to step on the carpentry she has set and so he could

anger the gods to aid her in his murder. She had to slowly and cautiously tempt him to walk on

the carpet.

Clytaemestra lays out the red carpet from Agamemnons chariot to the door of the house

and asks him gently, referring to him as her beloved one, to step from [his] chariot; yet let not

[his] foot, [her] lord, sacker of Ilium, touch the earth (905). By referring to him so kindly and

fondly, she is exploiting her role as a typical loving wife. Though Agamemnon is well aware that

he will incur the anger of the citizens and gods by stepping on the carpet laid out by

Clytaemestra, as it is an act of sacrilege defying the authority of the gods, she is able to expertly

manipulate him to step onto the carpet. Agamemnon initially refuses to step down but she

skillfully challenges his manhood by asking him what Priam would have done if he won.

Knowing that her husband has to protect his valor, she abuses his pride. Clytaemestra ultimately

is able to persuade him by finally stating oh yield! The power is yours. Freely give way to me

(943). Though Clytaemestra use of deception and cunning does not necessarily translate as a

negative female trait, she is able to use it along with the exploitation of feminine qualities to seal

his fate.

Finally, when Agamemnons fate is sealed and the gods are angered, further justifying her

plan, she brutally kills him. After Clytaemestra has kills Agamemnon she proudly explains to the

chorus how she killed the king. She relates that it was not an act that was new in her mind, but
was pondered deep in time (1378). The murder has obviously been premeditated, showing that

she is cold and calculating and willing to go to any means to achieve her goals, a stark difference

than what would be expected from a woman. Her manliness is also present when she murders

Agamemnon instead of Aegisthus.

After Clytaemestra commits the murder, she not only freely accepts what she has done

but also boasts and embraces it. In her dialogue, she is like a hunter by describing how she

caught her prey. It is this feature of hunter that gives Clytaemestra masculine qualities

throughout the play. She shares, as fishermen cast their huge circling nets, I spread deadly

abundance of rich robes, and caught him fast (1382). There is a prevalent image of pain and

death in the passage. Within death, Clytaemestra is glad as plants stand strong amidst the

showers of god in glory at the birthtime of the buds (1391) and claims that Agamemnons death

has given [her] a delicate excitement, spicing [her] delight (1447). These statements after

Agamemnons death are important because it helps to explain the vicious nature of Clytaemestra

as well as strengthen her masculine description.

In order to complete her plan to kill Agamemnon, she had to finally revert to brute force

and emphasize her already evident masculine characteristics. A woman would not be expected to

physically stab anyone, let alone her husband, to death. However, she could not just kill him

immediately without premediating and planning first. Had she attempted to murder him without

first making him step on the carpet and angering the gods, her murder could not be justifiable.

She could not just immediately use physical force and kill him. Therefore, she had to first remain
silent and wait for her opportunity and then exploit her role as a woman and Agamemnons wife

to persuade him to step on the carpentry laid out.

The character of Clytaemestra in Agamemnon is complex as the role she adopts is

constantly shifting. Not only do many of the other characters describe Clytaemestra in a

masculine way while still referring to her as a woman, the behaviors and activities she displays

enhance her characteristics of both genders. She is very different from the typical women of her

time and portrayed as having a combination of strength and weakness. Through the inversion of

traditional gender roles and by adopting masculine behaviors and activities, Clytaemestra is

ultimately able to achieve her revenge for the sacrifice of Iphigenia.