Gender and Sexism in the Oresteia

through off the Oresteia, Aeschylus portrays sexual practice as a socially volatile fall out that results in increasing miasm within the House of Atreus. Aeschylus engages the heathenish significance behind such(prenominal) sexist disputes by picture gender-based competition among Greeks who feel endanger when some others do not swan their expected masculine and female identities. However, he indicates that when wowork force do telephone number accordingly, they atomic number 18 still minuscule from both men and other women. Through his portrayal of sexist double standards and societys rejection of diverse gender expression, Aeschylus exposes the widespread, unjust underestimation of females, who in the end, ironically possess authority. \nFor an Athenian citizen, power and strength are essential qualities to have in order to be prise; yet such traits are deemed too masculine for women and thereof are only noteworthy when men obtain them. For example, Agamemnon is good regarded for representing the culturally ideal understanding of virility for fighting at troy weight and returning sign of the zodiac safely, succession, Aegisthus on the other hand, is mocked for his weak, sissified qualities. In The Libation Bearers, Orestes honors the soldiers efforts and then ridicules Aegisthuss poor-spirited complacency, saying, Besides, the lack of patrimony presses toilsome; and my compatriots, the glory of men who toppled Troy with nerves of singing steel, go at the beck and call of a brace of women. Woman-hearted he is (Aes., Ag., ll. 307-311). Aeschylus specifically uses this quote to show Orestess disfavour of Aegisthus who stays at shoes under the rule of Clytemnestra, while other real men like Agamemnon defend Athens. \nHowever, Aeschylus likewise highlights Orestess misogynistic views towards his own mother, a spatial relation that resurfaces. For instance, Orestes maintains these views even when he disguises himself as a foreigner to te ll apart his mother: Come out! Whoever rules the house. The woman in charge. No, the man, bet...