Justice and Aeschylus Oresteia :: Oresteia Essays

Justice and Aeschylus Oresteia At first glance, the picture of justice found in the Oresteia appears very polar from that found in Heraclitus. And indeed, at the surface aim there are a number of things which are distinctly un-Heraclitean. However, I believe that a close information reveals more similarities than differences and that there is a deep undercurrent of the Heraclitean world view running throughout the trilogy. In order to demonstrate this, I entrust first describe those shipway in which the views of justice in Aeschylus Oresteia and in Heraclitus appear unhomogeneous. Then I will examine how these dissimilarities are problematized by other information in the Oresteia information which expresses views of justice very akin to Heraclitus. Of course, how similar or dissimilar they are will depend not only on ones reading of the Oresteia, but also on how one interprets Heraclitus. Therefore, when I identify a way in which justice in the Oresteia seems dif ferent from that in Heraclitus, I will also identify the interpretation of Heraclitus with which I am contrast it. Defending my interpretation of Heraclitean justice as such is beyond the range of this essay. However I will always refer to the particular fragments on which I am basing my interpretation, and I think that the views I will property to him are fairly non-controversial. It will be my contention that, after a thorough examination of both the apparent discrepancies and the similarities, the nature of justice visualized in the Oresteia will appear more deeply Heraclitean than otherwise. I will not argue, however, that there are therefore no differences at all in all between Aeschylus and Heraclitus on the issue of justice. Clearly there are nearly real ones and I will point out any differences which I feel remain despite the many deep similarities. It is definitely potential to find views of justice in the Oresteia which appear to be very different from what we see in the fragments of Heraclitus. I will identify and describe what I think are the four major differences which one notices on an initial reading of the trilogy. These differences are with respect to 1) the apparent linear movement and betterment in the Oresteia. 2) the necessity of conflict and its relationship to justice and harmony 3) the descent/creation of justice and 4) the implications for justice of the fundamental unity of nature.