Humans who cease to control themselves legitimately tend to be personified as animals. This statement is justly proven throughout Agamemnon through the use of several different animal symbolisms. One in particular is the lion. The lion can be seen as a powerful animal, as well as be noted for its slyness and deceitful tendencies. This “king of beasts” is known to be a bloodthirsty creature that is ruthless and threatening. Lions are also said to be protective, social beasts, and this seemingly co

The next mention of a lion-like characteristic is presented in quite a different context. Clytaemnestra is telling about the victory over Troy when she says, “…the labor of battle sets them down, ravenous; to breakfast on the last remains of Troy (Mack 353).” After a successful kill, lions will gorge themselves of the prey, and they feel victorious. When Agamemnon and his army defeated Troy, they more than most likely stood proudly over their kills; Agamemnon describes himself as the “bloodthirsty lion” who “leapt over the walls and feasted on the blood of kings” when speaking about the wooden horse in the Trojan War (Mack 364-65).

In the beginning of the play, the reader is introduced to Clytaemnestra as a grief-stricken mother, mourning the unjust loss of her daughter. Therein is the first comparison to a lion. The play reads, “…the ravening lion’s tender, helpless cubs, the suckling young beasts that stalk the wild-bring this sign for all its fortune, all its brutal torment home to birth (Mack 348)!” This line leads the reader to believe the lion is a sensitive creature, protective of her young; the same is to be believed about Clytaemnestra.

ntradictory trait is mirrored in some of the characters. In Agamemnon, Aeschylus makes known the similarities between many of the characters and this beast through their common lion-lik

Some topics in this essay:
Agamemnon Aeschylus, Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, Clytaemnestra Aegisthus, Helen Troy, Troy Mack, War Mack, Aegisthus Agamemnon’s, lion-like qualities, symbolism prominent, beginning play, throughout play, aeschylus’ agamemnon, image lion,