Agamemnon(Play) Commentary Assignment | Online Assignment

you will be asked to write a literary commentary in which you integrate one of the literary theories discussed (the textbook will be uploaded) . Your goal here is to construct a narrative where you use the literary theory as a lens to enhance your own, and the reader’s, interpretation of the story. You are free to choose a character in the play, a specific scene, or a running theme throughout the play. Please ensure you are not attempting to analyze too much. The purpose of this assignment is to find a nuanced approach to single component of the play and write about in such a way that after reading your commentary, the reader’s understanding of that particular character, scene, theme, etc. PLEASE WRITE ABOUT THE FOLLOWING: Play/work, Agamemnon, Literary Theory, Reader Response You will find them in the book link: https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/creating-literary-analysis/ Use chapter’s 1-3 to get any information PLEASE DO NOT GO BEYOND THOSE CHAPTERS. Please note, a commentary treats the play as an evolving interaction between performance and spectator, not as a completed object, and the spectator must be imagined as knowing the play only up to the point where you begin your commentary. This also means your commentary should not jump ahead to later events. Only focus on the particular part of the work you are discussing. The commentary has four distinct parts: Fact: the quoted segment of the work Introduction: the context-setting opening sentence(s) with which you begin Analysis: your examination of that segment, also a way to point out specific features Conclusion: your articulation of what is revealed to the reader at that particular moment Format 250 words; one page or the end of the page Thesis statement formatted as discussed in Thesis Statement Lesson 12 point font, Times New Roman Double Spaced A Thoughtful Title Please make sure when constructing your thesis statement you allude to the literary theory you are being asked to use (i.e. “I argue, from a reader-response view…”) There are some temptations and pitfalls you want to avoid: 1. Attempting to analyze, discuss, the entire work. Remember that you are being asked to focus critically on one particular piece of the work. Do not attempt to discuss how the section you are analyzing enhances the entire work; you only have 250 words max. 2. Use the moment as a springboard for discussing the theme. Although themes are very important in critical thinking, you cannot discuss several theme of the work in only two pages words. 3. Summarize. Do not waste your time summarizing the work. Summary tells us what happened. Analysis tells us why and how something happened. 4. Commenting on stage direction. Although we are reading performance literature, we are concerned with the words and not, necessarily, the stage directions.

1
Aeschylus,
Agamemnon
GUARD
The gods relieve my watch: that’s all I ask.
Year
long I’ve haunched here on this palace roof,
year
long been the all fours watch dog of the Atreids,
learning by rote the slow dance of the stars,
spectator of the brilliance in
black skies
that brings to men their winters and their suns:
the stately light
lords’ settings and their rise.
I’m here still. Still watching for the fire,
the relayed beacon that will bring the word
that Troy is taken: watching by command
10
of the
heart of a woman who waits, her mind like a man’s.
My rest is a sleep
walk, sweated clammy dew,
a sleep
walk which no kind dreams over watch.
The presence by my bed’s not rest but terror,
eyelid
spasming drowse out jolting terror.
And when I think to si
ng or hum some tune
to inject alertness since no sleep will come,
the tune becomes tears how miss
fortune freights his house,
the song is miss
rule capsizing mastership.
But now, gods, change my luck. Relieve my task,
20
shine out the dark good news fo
r which I ask!
The beacon is seen.
A blaze in the night, as bright as day
it’s here
O how I welcome you, you telltale flame
speaking to me of dancing of the streets,
all Argos celebrating Troy’s downfall!
Awake
aiai awake!
I signal too, to Agamemnon’s
wife:
to leave her bed at once and set the house
aright with victory
howl to bless this blaze…
If the citadel of Troy is really taken…
…that’s what this shining messenger
should mean. 30
—
Why, yes; and I will dance the overture!
What falls well for
my lord, falls well for me:
this semaphore’s my dice rolled six times three.
And may it be my master, when he comes,
will clasp this hand with his love
hallowed hand.
There’s more, bu
t I won’t say it. The saying goe s:
“
M y tongue’s become where the tramp ling oxen stand.
You could ask the house. If this house had a mouth,
this house would speak.
I mean my words just so.
They’re dark to those in the dark: not to those in the know.
They’re dark to those in the dark: not to those in the know.
He descends and goes into the palace.
He descends and goes into the palace.
CHORUS
CHORUS
Decade of home
Decade of home–emptiness emptiness 4040
this, since the Priam
this, since the Priam–war war
moved to prosecution:
moved to prosecution:
Menelaus led it and Agamemnon,
Menelaus led it and Agamemnon,
Zeus
Zeus–set on twin thrones and twinset on twin thrones and twin–sceptred,sceptred,
twin
twin–yoked in honour as Atreus’s sons:yoked in honour as Atreus’s sons:
launched here a fleet of a thousand destroyers
launched here a fleet of a thousand destroyers
packed out with warriors, a military task
packed out with warriors, a military task–forceforce
off from this land:
off from this land:
calling the war
calling the war–god great in their fury,god great in their fury,
screaming like eagles at peak of grief’s ecstasy
screaming like eagles at peak of grief’s ecstasy 5050
over their young:
over their young:
wheeling and turning high in the vortex,
wheeling and turning high in the vortex,
rowing the air with the blades of their wing
rowing the air with the blades of their wing–tipstips
over their nests,
over their nests,
lost
lost to them now their confinement of care to them now their confinement of care
lost for so long.
lost for so long.
But higher up still, they are heard by some Apollo,
But higher up still, they are heard by some Apollo,
by some Pan or Zeus
by some Pan or Zeus——the harsh scream of these guests in his realm;the harsh scream of these guests in his realm;
overdue, slow,
overdue, slow,
he hunts down the eagles’ assailants, he strikes them
he hunts down the eagles’ assailants, he strikes them all all lowlow
o
overwhelmed.verwhelmed.
Thus Zeus almighty sent the sons of Atreus,
Thus Zeus almighty sent the sons of Atreus, 6060
Zeus guest
Zeus guest–protector set them on Paris,protector set them on Paris,
sent in pursuit of a multi
sent in pursuit of a multi–manned woman:manned woman:
sent with them death
sent with them death–bouts and leadenbouts and leaden–limbed strugglings,limbed strugglings,
sent strength of youths’ knees snapped in the dust,
sent strength of youths’ knees snapped in the dust,
se
sent with them spearnt with them spear–shafts smashed in the onset,shafts smashed in the onset,
sent these for Greeks and for Trojans alike.
sent these for Greeks and for Trojans alike.
That’s how things stand. The Fates know no escape
That’s how things stand. The Fates know no escape–clause.clause.
Nor secret sacrifice,
Nor secret sacrifice, extra libationextra libation,,
nor private gifts of quiet pleading tears
nor private gifts of quiet pleading tears 7070
can bend their
can bend their spite, their wrath wears out the years. spite, their wrath wears out the years.
But we stand in tattered flesh
But we stand in tattered flesh
old past all usefulness,
old past all usefulness,
left out of that weapon
left out of that weapon–take, take,
leaning our child’s strength
leaning our child’s strength
here on our walking
here on our walking–sticks.sticks. 8080
A little boy’s vitality
A little boy’s vitality
leaps in his sternum
leaps in his sternum
but he’s no war
but he’s no warrior, rior,
Ares the killing
Ares the killing–god god
3
not yet at home:
not yet at home:
just like him, senility’s
just like him, senility’s
leaves drop late
leaves drop late–autumn,autumn,
a stick props its tottering
a stick props its tottering
noon
noon–dream roam.dream roam.
But Leda’s daughter and Tyndareos’,
But Leda’s daughter and Tyndareos’,
you, queen Clytaemestra,
you, queen Clytaemestra,
what need, what news,
what need, what news,
what message
what message–rumour’s maderumour’s made
you send your stewards round, commanding all these rites?
you send your stewards round, commanding all these rites?
For all the gods this city knows,
For all the gods this city knows,
heaven
heaven–gods or underworld, gods or underworld,
from mystery
from mystery–gods to marketgods to market–idolsidols—— 9090
every altar blazes with a burning offering bright.
every altar blazes with a burning offering bright.
On this side and that
On this side and that
as high as the heaven
as high as the heaven
their lamp ascends,
their lamp ascends,
dosed by the clean
dosed by the clean–burningburning
supple coaxing
supple coaxing
holy oil lends,
holy oil lends,
fires anointed with fuel the queen herself sends.
fires anointed with fuel the queen herself sends.
O say what you can of this, Queen. Explain
O say what you can of this, Queen. Explain——what’s allowed.what’s allowed.
So bring relief to the burden by which we are bowed,
So bring relief to the burden by which we are bowed,
to our expect
to our expectations one minute so darkly ill,ations one minute so darkly ill, 100100
the
the nenext as bright as the sacrificext as bright as the sacrifice–flame of fresh kill,flame of fresh kill,
as hope fends away the mood of the darkest part,
as hope fends away the mood of the darkest part,
the ravenous ache of despair that eats out the heart.
the ravenous ache of despair that eats out the heart.
[Silence.]
[Silence.]
One thing I can still:
One thing I can still: strophe 1strophe 1
sing
sing of the omen, of the omen,
parting victory
parting victory–omen omen
sent to our war
sent to our war–lords.lords.
Though age has grown old with me,
Though age has grown old with me,
age still breathes divinely,
age still breathes divinely,
still sends the song
still sends the song–strengthstrength
the wing
the wingèèd words.d words.
Here’s how the two
Here’s how the two–throned throned
might of Achaia,
might of Achaia,
captains of Greek cadets
captains of Greek cadets
two grown to
two grown to one end,one end, 110110
were set on the spear’s way,
were set on the spear’s way,
the hand’s way of mighty deeds,
the hand’s way of mighty deeds,
by an omen
by an omen——two eaglestwo eagles——
against Troy and its land:
against Troy and its land:
ship
ship–kings shown skykings shown sky–kingskings
plain, none could miss them,
plain, none could miss them,
right over the palace roof,
right over the palace roof,
one black
one black–tailed and one white:tailed and one white:
on the
on the wellwell–omened sideomened side
catching a mother
catching a mother–harehare
ripping her offspring unborn into sight.
ripping her offspring unborn into sight. 120120
We sense the pain to come; say
We sense the pain to come; say all come right.all come right.
Then Calchas diligent,
Then Calchas diligent, antistrophe 1antistrophe 1
military diviner,
military diviner,
seeing the Atreids
seeing the Atreids
twinned in their temper,
twinned in their temper,
twinned in t
twinned in their warheir war–love, love,
cast them as the eagles:
cast them as the eagles:
these two generals were the butchers of the hare.
these two generals were the butchers of the hare.
“In time this task
“In time this task–force force
will take Priam’s city,
will take Priam’s city,
in time all Troy’s people
in time all Troy’s people
be herded there like cattle
be herded there like cattle
by its burning towers
by its burning towers
to be raped by their f
to be raped by their fates”ates”—— 113030
he looked at the omen, saw this meaning there.
he looked at the omen, saw this meaning there.
“But how to avoid nemesis,
“But how to avoid nemesis,
bitter gods’ jealousy,
bitter gods’ jealousy,
shadow on the army
shadow on the army
sent to halter Troy?
sent to halter Troy?
Holy Artemis is watching,
Holy Artemis is watching,
she saw Zeus’s winged hounds,
she saw Zeus’s winged hounds,
hated their butchery:
hated their butchery:
she pitied the embryos, the helpless
she pitied the embryos, the helpless shredded hare.”shredded hare.”
We sense pain comes; we say
We sense pain comes; we say well all will fare. well all will fare.
“Artemis, so merciful
“Artemis, so merciful 140140
to savage lions’ little ones,
to savage lions’ little ones,
sweet to every suckling cub
sweet to every suckling cub
wandering in the wilds,
wandering in the wilds,
let these portents come to good
let these portents come to good
since they fall auspicious
since they fall auspicious–side,side,
pass over
pass over the sense of dread that we feel lurking still.the sense of dread that we feel lurking still.
And I invoke the healer,
And I invoke the healer,
Paian, to persuade her
Paian, to persuade her
to raise no lingering anti
to raise no lingering anti–windswinds
that pin the fleet in port,
that pin the fleet in port,
to demand no second sacrifice,
to demand no second sacrifice,
lawless, not to feast on,
lawless, not to feast on, 150150
cogenerate with blood
cogenerate with blood–feud setfeud sets man and wife at ill. s man and wife at ill.
For
For aa godgod–wrath is lurking there,wrath is lurking there,
fearful, resilient,
fearful, resilient,
5
a homemaker whose smile’s a trap
a homemaker whose smile’s a trap
a child
a child–avenging mind.”avenging mind.”
So did Calchas prophesy,
So did Calchas prophesy,
amid the usual blessings,
amid the usual blessings,
fateful words upon the march,
fateful words upon the march,
to the kings; and still
to the kings; and still
we like him se
we like him sense pain to come, say all go well, not ill. nse pain to come, say all go well, not ill.
Zeus
Zeus——whoever Zeus may bewhoever Zeus may be—— strophe 2strophe 2 160160
if “Zeus” is for mortals to sing
if “Zeus” is for mortals to sing——
by Zeus’ name will I call to him,
by Zeus’ name will I call to him,
seeing not even everything
seeing not even everything
set in one scale counter
set in one scale counter–balances himbalances him
set in
set in the otherthe other1; to Zeus must I sing; to Zeus must I sing
if my false
if my false–conceiving mind’s to be truly freeconceiving mind’s to be truly free
of the empty senseless dread that encompasses me.
of the empty senseless dread that encompasses me.
Nor whatever
Nor whatever cici–devantdevant antistrophe 2antistrophe 2
god broiling in all
god broiling in all–warring mightwarring might——
I will not even mention him
I will not even mention him 170170
nor his su
nor his successor slight.ccessor slight.
Zeus’s forerunners are no match for him,
Zeus’s forerunners are no match for him,
his arm puts them to flight.
his arm puts them to flight.
The prudent mind awards Zeus victory:
The prudent mind awards Zeus victory:
wisdom gives Zeus first place in piety.
wisdom gives Zeus first place in piety.
For Zeus’s law is first in all the world.
For Zeus’s law is first in all the world. strophe 3strophe 3
The law is this:
The law is this: no wisdom without no wisdom without painpain..
Slow process of the watching soul’s unsleep
Slow process of the watching soul’s unsleep
distils tear
distils tear–drip of threnody within;drip of threnody within; 180180
wanted or not by us, such wisdom’s gained;
wanted or not by us, such wisdom’s gained;
its score, its etch, its scar in us goes deep.
its score, its etch, its scar in us goes deep.
The grace of the gods, the bright powers set on high,
The grace of the gods, the bright powers set on high,
is overpowering,
is overpowering, sharp, involuntary.sharp, involuntary.
The admiral sits there with his sails all furled,
The admiral sits there with his sails all furled, antistrophe 3antistrophe 3
his ships becalmed. No Calchas bears his blame.
his ships becalmed. No Calchas bears his blame.
Nothing to do but whistle across the still deep,
Nothing to do but whistle across the still deep,
to watch his army watch till they starve thin.
to watch his army watch till they starve thin.
So Agamemnon waits on A
So Agamemnon waits on Aulis’ plainulis’ plain 190190
where the treacherous strait’s dark undersurges sweep
where the treacherous strait’s dark undersurges sweep
round the pride of Greece’s fleet, trapped, stationary,
round the pride of Greece’s fleet, trapped, stationary,
round a thousand hulls of seasick infantry.
round a thousand hulls of seasick infantry.
The ice
The ice–breath that breathes down from the Balkan northbreath that breathes down from the Balkan north strophe 4strophe 4
breeds bad idl
breeds bad idleness, worse settingseness, worse settings–forth.forth.
Desertions rot the men, mould rots the sails.
Desertions rot the men, mould rots the sails.
And still the relentless north’s tormenting gales
And still the relentless north’s tormenting gales
nag and rub the place already raw
nag and rub the place already raw
as Argos’ flower’s bleached to dead white straw.
as Argos’ flower’s bleached to dead white straw.
1 Cp.