Electra

Sophocles (c.496–c.406 BC), translated by Theodoridis, G., (contributor-contact-email)

Sophocles’ tragedy Electra is believed to have been written in the latter part of his career. The play shares stylistic similarities with Philoctetes (409 BC) and Oedipus at Colonus (401 BC) suggesting contemporaneous composition. The drama unfolds in Argos, shortly after the Trojan War, focusing on Electra and her brother Orestes’ quest for retribution against their mother Clytemnestra and stepfather Aegisthus for the murder of their father, King Agamemnon.

Agamemnon’s return from the Trojan War ends in his assassination by Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. Clytemnestra justifies this act, citing Agamemnon’s sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. Electra had saved her brother Orestes from Clytemnestra’s influence by sending him away to Phocis. The play commences with Orestes’ return as an adult, intent on avenging his father’s death and reclaiming the throne. Electra is notable amongst the Greek tragedies for its focus on plot-driven action.

Author Details

Sophocles, born around 497/496 BC in the deme of Hippeios Colonus in Attica, was a pivotal figure in ancient Greek tragedy. Born into a wealthy family, he received a broad education and achieved early artistic success, his work notably outperforming that of the distinguished Aeschylus at the Dionysia in 468 BC. His career spanned more than six decades, during which he wrote over 120 plays, though only seven complete works survive today, namely, “Ajax,” “Antigone,” “Women of Trachis,” “Oedipus Rex,” “Electra,” “Philoctetes,” and “Oedipus at Colonus.”

Sophocles’ theatrical innovations were significant. He introduced a third actor to the stage, a move that diminished the role of the chorus and enhanced character development. As a result, his characters displayed previously uncharted depths and complexity.

His civic roles in Athens were diverse, ranging from leading the paean after the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC to serving under Pericles’ political leadership as one of the Hellenotamiai, the treasurers of Athena. He also served as a general during the Samian War and participated in the introduction of the Asclepius cult to Athens.

He died in the winter of 406/405 BC, having witnessed the heights of Athenian power during the Persian Wars and its decline in the Peloponnesian War. His legacy includes both his literary excellence and the influence he had on the development of drama.

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Theodoridis, G.,

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