Electra’s weakness exposed

In Aeschylus’ play, The Oresteia, but more specifically, The Libation Bearers, Electra is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra. Clytaemnestra kills Electra and Orestes’ father because Agamemnon killed their sister. Electra hates her mother and puts all her love into her brother who was banished. She points out her mother’s dangerous tendencies in the play. From my point of view, I think Electra is all talk and she has no motivational values. She thinks more with her emotions than with her head, but she never acts on them.

Electra is a weak character for many reasons. She can’t handle constructing a prayer to her father’s tomb or to the gods without asking help from the leader. “What? I’m so unseasoned, teach me what to say / Judge or avenger, which?” (Lib., 120-123). Electra is always asking for help from the chorus or the leader. I don’t think she knows how to be her own person without her following in one’s footsteps. Someone is always telling her what to do and how to do things. When Orestes returned, he was hiding from Electra. As she was praying to the gods at her father’s grave, she found a lock of hair, taking only moments to realize that it was her long lost brother, Orestes. “Like mine, identical, can’t you see? / It’s his - I can see his curls.” (Lib., 177-180). As he came out behind the grave, she was slow to realize that it was actually him. That is another reason why I think Electra is such a weak character. She instantly knew the lock of hair was his but when she actually saw him, she didn’t think it was him. “Here I am. Look no further. No one loves you more than I. (Lib., 219). Electra responds to Orestes, “No, it’s a trap, stranger… a net you tie around me? / Orestes - can i call you? - are you really -” (Lib., 222-225).

Electra may be a weak character, but she shows affection towards her brother, but she acts fast at unleashing her hatred towards her mother. “ Both fists at once come down, come down- Zeus, crush their skulls! Kill! Kill! Now give the land some faith, I beg you, from these ancient wrongs bring forth our rights. Hear me, Earth, and all you lords of death.” (Lib.,  389-391). She joins Orestes in praying wholeheartedly to punish Agamemnon’s murderers, but her only contribution towards this goal of theirs is her silence. Again, she is a follower and now that Orestes is back, he basically controls her and what she does. This makes Electra very naive because she doesn’t do anything for her own, she is always asking for help or following others instead of acting on her own. Electra has a strong hatred towards her mother, but I don’t blame her because Clytaemnestra killed her own father. “Reckless, brutal mother- oh dear god! - The brutal, cruel cortege, the warlord stripped of his honour guard and stripped of mourning rites- you dared entomb your lord unwept, unsung.” (Lib.,  419-423). However, I also understand why Clytaemnestra killed Agamemnon because he killed one if their daughters. What I don’t understand is why Electra and Orestes are so quick to hate and want to kill their mother for killing their father, but they just seem to overlook that he killed one of their siblings. For this reason, they began plotting to kill their mother.

Orestes understands the he has to punish Clytaemnestra because of what she did but he does not hate her in the same way that Electra hates her. She becomes completely out of control with her emotions, unlike Orestes who doesn’t lose control in this manner. Electra is extremely naive because she thinks more with anger and hatred towards her mother but she doesn’t act on any of it. She is the type of character and/or person that we would not want to entrust the power of determining someone else’s fate.