The representation of women in contemporary production of Greek tragedies based on the myth of Orestes, with special reference to the theme of matricide

Abstract

The present research deals with the representation of the women involved in the myth of Orestes - initiated by Agamemnon's return from Troy and his murder by his unfaithful wife - by contemporary directors. The issue of women's representation is intermingled with the theme of matricide since Clytemnestra's murder by her children is central to the tragedies dealing with the House of Agamemnon. Moreover, the directors' approach to that issue throws light on their consideration for the women's cause. The performances analysed have taken place in Greece and in Great Britain with the exception of a Finnish production of the Oresteia which is treated in the Appendix B. The plays discussed are Aeschylus' Oresteia, Sophocles' Electra and Euripides' Electra and Orestes. One chapter is devoted to each of the three tragedians. The first part of the three chapters examines the tragedians' approach to the issues. The second part concentrates on contemporary approaches by directors. The first chapter deals with the position of Greek tragedy in contemporary theatre practice in association with the tragedians' treatment of women in general. Chapter 2, on Aeschylus' Oresteia discusses: a)Peter Hall's version produced by the National Theatre Company of Great Britain (Epidavros, 1982), b)Peter Stein's Russian adaptation (Epidavros, 1994), c)Karolos Koun's production for his Art-Theatre (Epidavros, 1982), d)Spyros Evangelatos' Oresteia for his Amphi-Theatre and e)Yorgos Michaelidis' production for his Open Theatre (Open Theatre, 1993). Chapter 3 on Sophocles' Electra discusses: a)Koun's and his Art-Theatre's production (Epidavros, 1984), b)Evangelatos' and his Amphi-Theatre's production (Epidavros, 1991), c)The Royal Shakespeare Company's production directed by Deborah Warner (Riverside Studios, 1991) and d)Andreas Voutsinas' and the State Theatre of Northern Greece's production (Epidavros, 1992). Chapter 4, on Euripides' Electra and Orestes discusses: a) Kostas Tsianos' and the Thessalian Theatre's production of Electra (Epidavros, 1993), b)Kostas Bakas' and Mythos' production of Orestes (Herodeion, 1992) and c)Laurence Boswell's and Gate Theatre's production of Agamemnon's Children (Gate Theatre, 1995). The biographies of the directors whose approaches to the myth are discussed in detail are included in Appendix A.