The Eumenides as a Symbol

A detailed Summary of The Eumenides as a Symbol


How The Eumenides is Symbolic of Political Changes.

Throughout history, literature has been used to represent the politics of the times. Thus is true in Aeschylus' The Eumenides. The struggle of old and new, dark and light, woman and man, is part of how Aeschylus represents the changing politics of Athens at the time.

The struggle between old and new is represented by the conflict between the Erinyes and Apollo. The Erinyes are used to the old ways of doing things. They are of an older generation than Apollo, Athena, and even Zeus. The Erinyes are used to being able to complete their tasks of pursuing those guilty of bloodletting. However, Apollo takes away their powers in The Eumenides by stating that Orestes is not guilty of bloodletting. T


Aeschylus represents the conflict between old and new, more specifically the struggle between the older gods and the newer gods, by the cycle of violence in the House of Atreus, and the conflict between the Erinyes and Apollo.

his action by Apollo does not allow them to complete their task. By Apollo being involved, Athena uses the courts to decide on this homicide case. This represents the Aeropagus' duty of dealing with homicide cases.

Greek plays often are symbolic of the political strife occurring at the time. Old and new, light and dark, male and female, are often ways of symbolizing and explaining the politics. Aeschylus' The Eumenides uses these ideas to symbolize the changes of the Aeropagus in the 5th Century BCE.

The Erinyes repr

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Approximate Word count = 505
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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