Miasma Within Aeschylus' Oresteia 

Jacob T. Whiteley
Dr. Joshua Nudell, Faculty Mentor

In this paper, I examine the use of miasma, a religious pollution, in Aeschylus’ Oresteia.This trilogy, from 458 BCE, gives a mythical origin for the Athenian Areopagus, the most important homicide court of fifth-century Athens. For my classics capstone I researched the inclusion of miasma in Greek Tragedy. Some scholars argue that Aeschylus means to show how Athenians viewed themselves as advanced past simple retaliatory violence, with pollution acting as the punishment for tit-for-tat violence. However, the period of authorship must be accounted for. I point out Aeschylus’  portrayal of miasma connected to his relationship with Pericles, who funded his earlier play The Persians. Pericles’ family, the Alcmeonidae, was itself a victim of a blood curse like the Atreides in The Oresteia. Aeschylus’ depiction of miasma as an antiquated belief, with purification from both Delphi and the murder courts, shows his attempt to downplay the blood-curse of the Alcmeonidae. 

 

Keywords: Greek Drama, Ancient History , Classics, Ancient Greece , Miasma

Topic(s):Classics
Greek
History

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA