Grecian Ancient Law: Forgiveness And Peace

I will argue that the Grecian Ancient Law shape the audience’s values in favor of forgiveness and peace by giving the audience associations of destruction and anguish to avoid acting in revenge and instead giving grace and turning the other cheek. Upon Agamemnon’s return from the war, Clytemnestra his wife showers him with praise. Only lines later, she brutally murders him, and feels no guilt about it. She feels so justified in her actions, because Agamemnon sacrificed her daughter, and to her that was unforgivable (Aeschylus, Agamemnon). “He [Agamemnon] thought nothing more of it than killing a beast, and his flocks were rich, teeming in their fleece, but he sacrificed his own child, our daughter, the agony I labored into love to charm away the savage winds of Thrace.” (Aeschylus p. 163). Clytemnestra feels like Agamemnon gave no regard to their daughter’s life. The child that she raised and loved, was slaughtered without a second thought by her own father. Instead of turning the other cheek, trying to understand Agamemnon’s point of view, or forgiving her him, Clytemnestra decides to kill him. Clytemnestra has every right to be angry, to be hurt, and mad, and furious. But no punishment toward her husband can bring
The Ancient Law of an ‘eye for an eye’ dictates the behavior of all the characters, and creates an endless cycle of revenge. This chain of events rooted in revenge destroys this family one by one, until eventually only Orestes is left. Eventually grace is given, and the cycle ends, thanks to justice and forgiveness. The audience’s values are shaped towards grace and forgiveness after reading the destruction that happens from revenge. The only option left after hearing the tragedy and hurt that revenge causes is grace. Grace and forgiveness ends tragedy. It doesn’t take away hurt, but it softens the sting and endless pain that revenge causes in reaction to