Blood Vengeance In The Oresteia

The Oresteia trilogy's first two acts, "Agamemnon" and "Choephoroe", work in conjunction to portray the true ramifications of seeking blood vengeance for past offenses. In order to convey this message, the plays characterized one "character" that appears in both pieces by having them learn the moral that the trilogy portrays. The Chorus learns and changes for the better during the events of The Oresteia because they no longer believe that blood atones for past offenses, but rather creates new tragedies that others will in turn wish to avenge. The Chorus exhibits a proclivity for punishment by blood vengeance beginning in “Agamemnon”. During the confrontation between the Chorus and Clytemnestra that follows Agamemnon’s death, the Chorus plainly
With everyone assembled, the Chorus initiates the prayer with a statement of ideals, wherein they expose Orestes to their plan for justice. “Ch.…Justice doth cry / In a loud voice claiming her payment: / 'For a murderous blow let a muderous blow / Be struck.' Let the doer be done by!—so / In a saying of old it is ordered [sic]" (Aeschylus 312). With these words, the Chorus states that by ancient order, one who does something must be repaid with the same thing, and in this case the murderer must be repaid with murder. Though Clytemnestra already knows this to be the Chorus’s desire, Orestes only just learns of this at this point, and in light of talk of justice and the invocation of his father’s spirit no less. This revelation under such circumstances may very well be a deliberate attempt by the Chorus to convince Orestes of their plan, as it previously stated that Orestes would be the hero that would avenge Agamemnon, proving that they are holding fast to their ideals of and plan for blood vengeance. The Chorus would later ensure that Orestes decided to go through with their plan, effectively laying the final nail in Clytemnestra and Aegisthus’s