The Chorus of Agamemnon: An Analysis of Fear, Fate, and Peripeteia

😱The chorus' fear and hopelessness are conveyed through the tuneless dirge of the Furies, creating a sense of anxiety.

🔮The chorus believes that fate cannot be changed and that once a man is dead, there is no hope of return.

⏳The tension in the play builds slowly, with the past always present, even though it seems far away.

🔄The notion of changing fate prepares the audience for the peripeteia, a turning point that will reverse the protagonists' fortunes.

🙏The chorus acknowledges the power of the gods and recognizes human helplessness in preventing destined events.

What is the main emotion expressed by the chorus in Agamemnon?

—The main emotion expressed by the chorus is fear and hopelessness.

What do the premonitions in the play foreshadow?

—The premonitions foreshadow a tragic fate and the peripeteia, a turning point that will change the protagonists' fates from good to bad.

Can fate be changed according to the chorus' beliefs?

—No, the chorus believes that fate is unchangeable.

What does the tension in the play signify?

—The tension signifies the approaching peripeteia, the turning point of the play.

What role do the gods play in shaping human fate?

—The gods keep humans in place by ensuring mortality and determining their fates.

00:01[Music]

00:09The chorus in Agamemnon expresses a sense of dread upon the king's return and the end of the war.

00:23The chorus believes that once a man is murdered, there is no hope of return.

00:38The tension in the play builds slowly, with the past always present, signaling an approaching event.

01:12The notion of changing fates prepares the audience for the peripeteia, a turning point in the play.

01:16The chorus acknowledges the power of the gods and human helplessness in preventing destined events.