Unlike Oedipus, Agamemnon causes suffering because of his father’s actions. Agamemnon causes suffering to his own family and innocent people. He sacrifices his own daughter Iphigeneia to the goddess Artemis, “the only way he {Agamemnon] can get the wind he needs is by sacrificing his own daughter” (Weissman, Alan, pg. v). He causes suffering to his own wife Clytemnestra, because he sacrificed their daughter, which also leads to his downfall. He is responsible for the death of Cassandra. The curse of the house of Atreus is responsible for the protagonist’s action.
In Oedipus Rex, the suffering caused to his family and people is horrible. The fate of Oedipus is responsible for all the suffering. Even when Oedipus tries to avoid his fate he will fulfill his curse. He runs away from Corinth to avoid the fate but instead he carries it out. His family tries to avoid the fate too. Laius tried to kill Oedipus when he is warned by an oracle by leaving Oedipus on a lonely mountain. His mother tries to avoid Oedipus’ fate by telling him not to search for the truth, “For Heaven’s sake, if you care for your own life, Don’t seek it! I am sick, and that’s enough!” (Sophocles, pg. 38).
In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon is cursed by the actions his father had done before, “Inherit the curse that descended upon him for his actions.” (Alan Weissman, pg. v). After Thystes (Atreus’ brother) seduced Atreus’ wife he served the boiled flesh of Thystes children at a banquet. Because of these actions, Agamemnon is cursed from the beginning of his life. But Agamemnon didn’t try to avoid the fate. He didn’t try to find another way to get the winds he needs and he shouldn’t have took Cassandra. Also of Agamemnon’s own actions that caused suffering it leads to the downfall of him.
Hamartia, which means tragic flaw or error in judgment, of Oedipus is another reason for causing suffering. He made some important mistakes and errors that set up the story and eventually causes suffering. First he should have investigated further in Corinth who is father is. He went to the oracle to ask who his father is but came with no answer back. When he was on the to Thebes, he killed Laius. Of course he shouldn’t have killed Laius, even when he didn’t knew him and argued with him. When he rescues Thebes, he marries a woman that could have been his mother (which of course was his mother).
Years later the city is suffering because of Laius murderer (who is Oedipus). He will banish the murderer from Thebes, “For he shall suffer no disparagement, Except to quit this land” (Sophocles, pg. 9), unknowingly banished himself. He then made the mistake by ignoring Tiresias words, “Why do you search these matter? Vain, vain! I will not tell you.” (Sophocles, pg. 13), and he further investigates the details of his life. Because of Oedipus’ mistakes and errors, his family as well as the people of Thebes are suffering.
Agamemnon’s hamartia lead as well as Oedipus’ hamartia to suffering. He sacrifices his own daughter Iphigeneia (in order to get the winds he needs to sail to Troy) with probably knowing the consequences that his wife will hate him. When the Trojan War is over, he sails back home with a mistress, Cassandra. He enters his own house and gets killed by Clytemnestra, “The bloody act is over-I have heard the monarch’s cry” (Aeschylus, pg. 51). Agamemnon’s hamartia is also a reason for the suffering he causes.
Suffering is also caused by Oedipus’ hubris, what means excess pride. Oedipus pride plays a big role in the killing of Laius. He was too proud to settle the argue with Laius when he met him on the way to Thebes. Also he is too proud to trust Tiresias words, instead relying on his own powers to solve riddles, “Were you not excellent At solving riddles? Ay, cast in my teeth Matters in which you must allow my greatness!” (Sophocles, pg. 16). Oedipus is too proud to accept Tiresias words, instead saying: “An engine-botching crafty cogging knave, Who has no eyes to see with, but for gain, And was born blind in the art!” (Sophocles, pg. 15). He also questions Tiresias power: “When the oracular monster was alive, You said no word to set the people free?” (Sophocles, pg. 15). Oedipus’ hubris is another reason for causing suffering.
Agamemnon has to some extend hubris. He is too proud to believe the danger he is in when he returns home, instead acting arrogant and ignorant. That will cause the dead of Cassandra and him. Agamemnon should have known better, since his wife hates him because he sacrificed his daughter to the goddess Artemis to get the winds he needs.
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Aeschylus’ Agamemnon have common reasons and causes for the suffering they cause to their family and people. The suffering has different origins, Oedipus Rex causes suffering because of his fate to kill his father and marry his mother and Agamemnon causes suffering because of his father’s actions. But there are also many other reasons for causing the suffering, but every cause goes back to the main cause, Oedipus’ fate and Agamemnon’s father’s actions.