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| Character | Iphigenia | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Female | |
| Age Range(s) | Teenager (13-19), Young Adult (20-35) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Crying, Descriptive, Depressed, Lamenting, Frustrated, Afraid, Reminiscing life story/Telling a story | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Period | Ancient Greek | |
| Genre | Tragedy, Drama | |
| Description | Iphigenia laments the death of her family | |
Summary
Iphigenia at Tauris is the sequel of Iphigenia at Aulis. In the background story Agamemnon, a Greek commander, was forced to sacrifice his daughter to the goddess Artemis in order to allow his army to sail to Troy and start the Trojan war. This event later will lead to Clytemnestra's murder of Agamemnon for revenge and then later Orestes' murder of his mother Clytemnestra and her lover to avenge his father's murder.
The play's story is based on the assumption that Iphigenia didn't actually die in the sacrifice. She was replaced with a deer at the last moment by Artemis and led to Tauris where she became a priestess. One of her tasks there is to kill any foreigner that lands on King Thoas' shores.
The play focuses on her being reunited with her brother Orestes, whom she believed was dead. Orestes lands on King Thoas' land in order to steal a sacred statue of Artemis in order to stop a curse that she has unleashed on him. Iphigenia and Orestes escape from the island together.
This monologue comes at the beginning of the play. Iphigenia has just had a prophetic dream about her brother and believes he is now dead. She laments the fate of her family.
The play's story is based on the assumption that Iphigenia didn't actually die in the sacrifice. She was replaced with a deer at the last moment by Artemis and led to Tauris where she became a priestess. One of her tasks there is to kill any foreigner that lands on King Thoas' shores.
The play focuses on her being reunited with her brother Orestes, whom she believed was dead. Orestes lands on King Thoas' land in order to steal a sacred statue of Artemis in order to stop a curse that she has unleashed on him. Iphigenia and Orestes escape from the island together.
This monologue comes at the beginning of the play. Iphigenia has just had a prophetic dream about her brother and believes he is now dead. She laments the fate of her family.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
|---|
| IPHIGENIA: Th' Atrid are no more: Extinct their sceptre's golden light; My father's house from its proud height Is fall'n: its ruins I deplore. Who of her kings at Argos holds his reign, Her kings once blest? But Sorrow's train Rolls on impetuous for the rapid steeds Which o'er the strand with Pelops fly. From what Atrocious deeds Starts the sun back, his sacred eye Of brightness, loathing, turned aside? And fatal to their house arose From the rich Ram, Thessalia's golden pride, Slaughter on slaughter, woes on woes. Thence from the dead of ages past Vengeance came rushing on its prey, And swept the race of Tantalus away: Fatal to thee its ruthless haste; To me too fatal from the hour My mother wedded, from the night She gave me to life's opening light, Nursed by affliction's cruel power. Early to me the fates unkind To know what sorrow is assigned; Me, Leda's daughter, hapless dame, First blooming offspring of her bed (A father's conduct here I blame), A joyless victim bred; When o'er the strand of Aulis, in the pride Of beauty kindling flames of love, High on my splendid car I move, Betrothed to Thetis' son a bride: Ah hapless bride, to all the train Of Grecian fair preferred in vain! But now a stranger on this strand, 'Gainst which the wild waves beat, I hold my dreary, joyless seat, Far distant from my native land; Nor nuptial bed is mine, nor child, nor friend. At Argos now no more I raise The festal song in Juno's praise; Nor o'er the loom sweet-sounding bend, As the creative shuttle flies, Give forms of Titans fierce to rise, And dreadful with her purple spear Image Athenian Pallas there. But on this barb'rous shore Th' unhappy stranger's fate I moan, The ruthless altar stained with gore, His deep and dying groan: And for each tear that weeps his woes, From me a tear of pity flows. Of these the sad remembrance now must sleep: A brother dead, ah me! I weep: At Argos him by fate opprest I left an infant at the breast. A beauteous bud, whose opening charms Then blossomed in his mother's arms, Orestes, born to high command, Th' imperial sceptre of the Argive land. |
