Sorrowful Memories in the First Stasimon (432-486) of Euripides’ Electra

Abstract

Euripides’ narrative choral odes continue to puzzle the critics. The first stasimon of Euripides’ Electra, for example, is considered to be only loosely related to the rest of the tragedy. Thus, it is thaught to be dythyrambic, without a dramatic function or embolima. This paper seeks to explore the complex links between the first stasimon and the rest of the play. As it is contended in the paper, an in-depth analysis of the lines reveals that this ode on the festive celebration of the departure of Aquiles is nothing but an evocation of Clytemnestra’s reasons for murdering Agamemnon. The ode, therefore, suggests sorrowful outcomes not only for Clytemnestra and Aegistus but also for the executor, Orestes, who is impelled by whom caused the death of Aquiles. As a conclusion, the first stasimon of Euripides’ Electra is an uncommon piece of writing close to the kytharodia.