Özet:

Clytemnestra is a powerful, rebellious, controversial character who dominates in Aeschylus’s tragedy, The Oresteian Trilogy. In this play, Aeschylus reflects the perception of women in patriarchal democratic Ancient Greek society by Clytemnestra who is a “non-ideal” image of woman. She exposes the imposed “ideal women” identity on females by the male dominant Athenian sociological system by rejecting it. She is a powerful character, because she has political aspirations; she displays masculinity, and she chooses a sexual partner other than her husband. At the time Athens was in transition to be a democratic society which was male oriented. Therefore, women with the qualities of Clytemnestra are considered as destructive. This play is important because Aeschylus demonstrates the mechanisms of patriarchy by the character of Clytemnestra, and moreover confirms the new system. I will study Clytemnestra in The Oresteian Trilogy concentrating on the facts of perception of women in democratic Athenian society that was shaped by both the state and the religious system. Both of these sources are apparatuses of male dominant society, and expose themselves in Clytemnestra’s life, because patriarchy uses religion to confirm the needs of authorities. In my argument, I will study the interaction between religion and newly established democratic Athens in order to create an ideal woman image. Because non-ideal woman is considered as destructive and a threat to a man driven society.

Anahtar Kelimeler: