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Aristotle and Sophocles' Electra

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Aristotle and Sophocles' Electra ARISTOTLE AND SOPHOCLES' ELECTRA ]. C. Kamerbeek viro de Soplwcle optinu merito 1. The key element of Aristotle's Poetics is the idea that each product of 1roi710-Ls is the imitation1 of an action. This action is defined as an ordered arrangement (<TVv0€0-LS or o-vo,ao-ts) of actions/events. The requirements to be met by the course of action, in this sense, provide the primary criteria for determining the quality of the individual pieces. A good <TUO-TaO"LS (alias: µ.v0os, for lack of a better term usually translated as 'plot') is a whole, consisting of a beginning, a middle and an end. The internal structure of the action is described with the aid of the central concepts €lKos and avayKa'iov: the events which, together, constitute the plot have to show close coherence in the sense that each subsequent event necessarily, or at least with a large degree of pro­ bability, follows from the preceding events. The ideal action is an action in which coincidence does not play a major part: everything is as it is because, in the light of preceding events, 2 it could not or could hardly have been otherwise. Judged by these fundamental criteria, Sophocles' Electra is far from satisfactory. The action in the restricted sense is summarized by Orestes (verse 38 ff.) as follows: Orestes, Pylades and the Pedagogue have come to Argos to take revenge on Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus for the murder of Agamemnon - an act which Apollo advised them to undertake 'by stratagem'. For this purpose, th<;_ Pedagogue will enter the palace to reconnoitre the situation and to bring the news of Orestes' death. In the meantime, Orestes and Pylades will go to Aga­ memnon's grave and honour it with a libation and a lock of hair. Afterwards, Orestes will go to the palace, carrying the um that holds 'his ashes'. Thus he will create the opportunity to take revenge on those who, by killing his father, became his enemies (ix0poi), and to retake his rightful position as the heir and lord of Argos. This sequence of actions is credible indeed in that it is possible (ovvaTov), 3 yet it is not in the least necessary or intrinsically probable: 1 For the concept of µ.iµ.71ui~ see p. 86ff. of this volume. 2 Cf. note 2 on p. 147 of this volume. 3 Cf. Poet. 1451b16. SOPHOCLES' ELECTRA 39 it is after all a 'plot' designed by Orestes (or Sophocles, if one prefers) which is only one out of several possibilities, 4 and the success of which (as Sophocles clearly indicates) is partly dependent on the absence of Aegisthus - is therefore dependent on chance. It is even more important to observe that the role of Electra, who is unmistakably the central character in the play, in Orestes' plan - and with it in the action in the restricted sense - is of no importance. At the end of the prologue (82-85), Orestes hears her voice and suggests they wait and listen to her for a moment - a suggestion which is rejected by the Pedagogue: the execution of what needs to be done takes priority. Subsequently, the two main parts of Orestes' plan (the news of his death and the bringing of the um) take place in the presence of Electra, but without her cooperation. The recognition of Orestes which is so crucial in the play, and the emotional outburst that follows it, even jeopardize the successful completion of the under­ taking. None of Electra's contributions to the action can be called indis­ pensable. The only thing she actually does is speak to Aegisthus as he returns (1442 ff.). The main action cuts into the existence of the main character, as it were: the news of Orestes' death and afterwards the arrival of Orestes with the cinerary urn are events occurring at an arbitrary moment in the sad life of Electra. Strictly speaking, her presence is coincidental and, in any case, not required: in designing his plan, Orestes did not take her presence into account. And as for the recognition: it might as well have taken place later (which, prac­ tically speaking, would have been safer), or (as in Aeschylus' version of the event) earlier. All in all, therefore, our diagnosis has to be that the primary char­ acteristics of the action in the Aristotelian sense are indeed completely lacking in the El,ectra. 1.1. In addition to requirements to be met by the action in all forms of 1l"OL1'J(]"LS, the Poetics also has requirements that are set for 'serious' 1l"OL1'J(]"LS in particular. First, in tragedy (as in epic), the action has to be a 7rpa[Ls (]"7f"OV­ oaia, meaning an action in which the dramatis personae are (]"7f"OvOaLOL, people "who spend their lives, and if necessary lose them, for the prize • As comparison with Aeschylus' Choephoroi and Euripides' El,ectra shows. .
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