Electra

While reading Electra by Sophocles, the conflict Justice versus Revenge arises. The differences between the two can be seen clearly within this play. Justice can be defined as being logical and reasonable while revenge can been seen as taking vengenance with an overwhelming passion. Electra gives us an inside look into how Greek society was. In Ancient Greek society, the society was known as being a patriarchy. Masculine values were seen as superior to feminine values because male’s values were seen as logical and reasonable while feminine values were viewed as being filled with emotion and passion which they could not control. This play also shows how much honor was to meant to Greek society. Electra refrains from taking revenge for her father’s death because it would dishonor her brother because in Greek society it was the son’s responsibility to avenge his father.


This play is has been read for over 2,000 years because it makes you question, “What is the real difference between justice and revenge? Are Electra’s motives more for justice or are her emotions getting the best of her and does it turn more into revenge?” Electra wants her mother, Clytemnestra, and her new lover dead for her mother’s actions against her late father, Agamemnon. Electra is shown as becoming overemotional about her father’s death and her desire for her mother and her new lover’s death can be interpreted as revenge more than justice. However, her brother, Orestes, is being logical about the situation and actually has a plan; therefore, he is trying to bring justice to his father’s murder. Another reason why this play is still being read because it shows us how their society functioned and to show how far society as progressed from history.

Literature can be written to criticize or celebrate the culture in which it was written in. Sophocles may have written this to celebrate his time period by critiquing the past. This play was written in a time period in which males were superior over females although this play is based on female characters. Why? It seems like Sophocles was trying to say that because of female’s emotions getting in the way, they cannot control themselves during an upsetting time like Electra after her father’s death.