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Lines 251-470
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Electra, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Grief, Mourning, and Morality
Justice and Revenge
Gender and Society
Deception, Falsehood, and Trust
Summary
Analysis
The chorus says that it must have been “Justice” that sent the nightmare about Agamemnon to Clytemnestra. They mention a “fearsome Fury” waiting to attack Agamemnon’s murderers, whose union they say is “cursed” because of the sinful way it started. The chorus goes on to say that this land of Argos has been struck with eternal misery ever since Pelops won his chariot race and Myrtilus cursed him.
Here, the chorus conveys a sense of optimism that Clytemnestra’s dream foretells justice, and this is reflected in their mention of the Furies, who are symbolic of vengeance in Greek mythology. This passage also more fully explains the curse of the royal house of Atreus, which is mentioned several times throughout the play.
Themes
