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Overview
Synopsis
Justice and revenge lie at the heart of Sophocles’ Electra, still considered today a remarkable achievement in the canon of Greek tragedy. Based on one of the last episodes in the Mycenae royal family, Electra finds Orestes, son of the murdered King Agamemnon, returning home secretly after being taken out of Mycenae for his own protection. Intent on avenging his father’s murder, Orestes conceives a plan to trick his family into believing that he’s dead so he can take revenge on the killers: his mother, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus. Electra has all the elements of classic Greek tragedy, and was considered by some to be a masterpiece. Scholars aren’t sure exactly when it was written, but believe it was near the end of Sophocles’ career, between 420 and 414 BC.
Show Information
- Book
- Sophocles
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Before a palace in Argos, Ancient Greece.
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Regional Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
---|---|---|---|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A group of actors who sang, danced, and commented on the action in unison.
A play that centers around the downfall of the main character through tragic actions and events.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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