A Hero’s Journey
Through their acts of bravery and true leadership, Agamemnon and Achilles become heroes in the face of the audience. They both go through tremendous difficulties that even at the cusp of finally succeeding, it still feels like a burden weighing down on them, never giving a break. True form heroism is never giving up and always seeking solutions, without a doubt. Iphigenia is probably the greatest hero in the play for giving her life for glory and honor in Greece. She saves her father from the unbearable act of sending her daughter to her death. Iphigenia is selfless and brave, the two most essential characteristics of a hero.
The thirst and consequence of War
The Greeks believe that the highest glory is achieved in battles between nations. They thirst for it without care for the senseless murder and violence that war brings. As the Greek army is getting ready to sail to war, their hunger for it only grows stronger. The magnitude of this war is great yet the core reason for it doesn’t outweigh the lives lost. Agamemnon sacrifices her daughter to Artemis to grant them favor in the coming battle. War in these times is over-glorified. Everyone and everything in the society is designed to function with the war in mind as the sole source of glory and honor.
Family Bond/ Love
Agamemnon tricks Iphigenia into believing that he was going to marry Achilles when she was being sacrificed. Iphigenia sacrifices herself to spare her father from having to send her to her death. The love between Iphigenia and Agamemnon is so great that neither one of them wants to inflict pain on the other. Iphigenia sees how heavy this choice weighs on his father. She decides to sacrifice herself to save her father from this impossible choice.
