Argos (Allegory)
The situation in Argos is allegorical of the situation in Vichy France and the invading King Aegistheus is allegorical of the invading German army. Queen Clytemnestra is an allegory for the French government which offers no resistance and supports the invaders at high cost to the people. Writing an allegory was the only way in which Sartre could write anything that protested the actions of the government because writing a play that was obviously anti-Fascist would lead to its censorship. This allegory went unnoticed by authorities but was certainly understood by the people.
Eyes (Symbol 1)
Eyes in the novel symbolize a number of things. One is the judgment of others, and this is shown in the character of Electra. She fears the judgement of others and because of this believes that everyone is watching her. As a result, the first, and usually the only, thing she notices about people are their eyes which symbolizes her fear of and preoccupation with their judgement of her.
Eyes (Symbol 2)
The majority of the characters in the play are said to have "dead" looking eyes. This is a symbol of their only looking to the past. By contrast, Orestes is the only character with bright, clear eyes, symbolizing a life in them inspired by his vision of the future and also symbolizing the fact that only by looking to the future can he improve his life.
Stones (Symbol)
Zeus has control over stones; he can put them where he wants to, make whatever he wants to out of them, and use them in any way he wishes to achieve his ends. The stones represent how he views his own people and the way he wishes to control them. He sees his people like the stones, inanimate objects that he can control, move, and use to achieve a purpose without resistance or argument.
Flies (Symbol)
The gods sent the flies to Argos fifteen years prior when Aegistheus and Clytemnestra murdered Agamemnon, the true king. Even Zeus calls them a "symbol," and they are just that: a persistent, grotesque reminder of the murder and the concomitant lack of courage of conviction of Aegistheus, Clytemnestra, and even the townspeople.
