Progression Towards Light
Aeschylus' use of darkness and light as a consistent image in the
Oresteia depicts a progression from evil to goodness, disorder to order. In the
Oresteia, there exists a situation among mortals which has gotten out of
control; a cycle of death has arisen in the house of Atreus. There also exists
a divine disorder within the story which, as the situation of the mortals, must
be brought to resolution: the Furies, an older generation of gods, are in
conflict with the younger Olympian gods because they have been refused their
ancient right to avenge murders between members of the same family. The
Oresteia presents two parallel conflicts, both of which must be resolved if
harmony is ever to be desired again. As one can expect, these conflicts
eventually do find their resolutions, and the images of darkness and light
accompany this progression, thereby emphasizing the movement from evil to good.
The use of darkness imagery first emerges in the Agamemnon. In this
first play of the trilogy, the cycle of death which began with the murder and
consumption of Thyestes' children continues with Clytaemestra's murder of
Agamemnon and Cassandra. The darkness which is present in the beginning of the
story is further magnified by the death of Agamemnon. This is illustrated when
Clytaemestra says, "Thus he [Agamemnon] went down, and the life struggled out
of him; and as he died he spattered me with the dark red and violent driven
rain of bitter savored blood" (lines 1388-1390). Clytaemestra has evilly and
maliciously murdered her own husband; thus the image of the dark blood.&nb ...