35 pages • 1 hour read
EuripidesOrestes
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 409A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Orestes by Euripides follows Orestes, tormented after killing his mother, Clytemnestra, to avenge his father, Agamemnon. Considered a matricide, Orestes faces execution. His sister Electra hopes their uncle Menelaus will help. Menelaus wavers, while Orestes and his friend Pylades plot to escape their fate, but divine intervention ultimately dictates their futures. This story includes descriptions of murder and intense psychological suffering.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Euripides' Orestes receives mixed reviews. Praised for its intense emotional depth and complex characters, the play captivates with its dramatic twists and moral ambiguities. However, some critics find the plot convoluted and the pacing uneven. Overall, it stands out for its psychological insight but may challenge those unaccustomed to its narrative style.
Who Should Read Orestes?
A reader who enjoys Orestes by Euripides would likely appreciate classical Greek tragedies, complex family dynamics, and themes of revenge and justice. Comparable to readers of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex or Aeschylus’ The Oresteia, these individuals value dramatic storytelling with moral and philosophical inquiries.