Electra

Electra

Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra of Mycenae in Greek mythology. She was the sister of Iphigenia and Chrysothemis, as well as Orestes, with whom they planned the murder of their mother and her lover Aegisthus, seeking revenge for the murder of their father.

When Agamemnon returned from the Trojan War along with his consort Cassandra, he was murdered by his wife and her lover, who was also his cousin. Clytemnestra was furious at her husband for sacrificing their daughter Iphigenia to Artemis before his departure to Troy, while another reason may have been the possible murder of her first husband by Agamemnon. So, she killed both Agamemnon and Cassandra upon their arrival, even though Cassandra had warned of this ill fate.

Electra and Orestes sought refuge in Athens, and when Orestes was 20 years old, he consulted the Oracle of Delphi; there, he was told to take revenge for his father's death. Along with his sister, they went back to Mycenae and plotted against their mother and Aegisthus. With the help of his cousin and best friend, Pylades, Orestes managed to kill his mother and her lover; before her death though, Clytemnestra cursed Orestes and as a result, the Furies or Erinyes chased him, as it was their duty to punish anyone commiting matricide or other similar violent acts. Electra, instead, was not haunted by the Erinyes.

Electra Q&A

Who was Electra?

Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra of Mycenae in Greek mythology. She was the sister of Iphigenia and Chrysothemis, as well as Orestes, with whom they planned the murder of their mother and her lover Aegisthus, seeking revenge for the murder of their father.

Who were the parents of Electra?

The parents of Electra were Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.

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