How does vengeance play a role in all the characters' lives, especially Clytemnestra's?

Vengeance is a common theme that courses throughout the story. How does vengeance play a role in all the characters' lives, especially Clytemnestra's?

Clytemnestra says “vengeance is our way of life”. Is what she does vengeance or justice?

bobbie7, You have hit the nail on the head. In that society (as in many others, then and now) vengeance is seen as justice. The code of Hammurabi… an eye for an eye etc. In an unjust society, with so many competing city states and power struggles, and people used as capital to barter alliances… no central institution or code of justice….Men and women too are moved to take justice into their own hands, rather than be passive victims. That is a major thread in all the ancient myths and it still plays out in our modern world,

Clytemnestra says herself, "Vengeance is our way of life," (page 472). Sadly, she didn't stop that bloody cycle, but she continued with it.

Every horrible action seems to be justified in their minds--slaves as spoils of war, owning and using women's bodies, murder for murder, sacrifice. Legacy seems to be very important to them...whose names will be remembered in history...and for what.

I think it was sad how Clytemnestra used her own traumas to overpower her children. She literally tells Electra that she's just going to have to live with the pain Clytemnestra caused Electra (by killing Ag), and when Electra says, "Why do I have to pay the consequences for something I didn't do?", Clytemnestra says, "Life is like that." Clearly, she is setting up her kids to continue in the endless cycle of vengeance. (And we know from Sophacles that Electra and Orestes ultimately kill Clytemnestra as "justice.") Furthermore, I did not find it admirable that Clytemnestra disregarded Electra's pain by comparing it to the traumas Clytemnestra suffered. She literally one-upped her daughter.

Her goal was to kill Agamemnon when the time was right. He took from her the love of her life and their baby son. Then later also her daughter. She needed to wait,if she killed him too soon then she would be killed. When the time was right she did kill him even though she knew eventually their son must kill her. I would say this is both vengeance but also justice.

The other readers make good observations. I’m glad that kristenb pointed out that Clytemnestra’s children were clearly taught to follow the tradition, but also that Clytemnestra devalued her daughter’s pain, ultimately resulting in her own death.

Vengeance was a duty of honor, and status and respect were lost unless vengeance was attained. This became a heavy burden for many of the characters. They had to be hardened enough to kill even people who had been allies.

One needs to be steeped in ancient cultural history to even begin to understand their concept of vengeance. In general, it's not so evident in our society--but then I think about the Mafia and gang culture. Vengeance is a major part of their culture and their concept of justice.

I have little else to comment--the other writers have shared insightful commentary. I repeat one phrase that others have already written : "Vengeance is our way of life."

For Clytemnestra, the thought of vengeance helps keep her alive and keeps her from giving up.

Just a comment..why add something to the story that was told in this book? Yes, Clytemnestra was eventually murdered by her son, but where is that part of this book? Maybe I missed it in the retelling, but can adding to the ending better the book as written?

Vengeance is front and center in Clytemnestra, from the gods to royalty and fellow Spartans---remember Cynisca's treachery and Clytemnestra's revenge. The Greek gods resemble their worshipers and vice versa. The Greeks created Gods with human emotions: they would get angry, jealous, vengeful, take sides and punish.

Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon because he killed the ones she loved, and we know, outside of the book, when Orestes reaches manhood, he will avenge his father by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra. The Furies will then torment Orestes for killing his mother and the vengeance will continue.

This novel is grounded in a story important to an ancient culture, which is in turn grounded in human nature. We understand today from a scientific viewpoint how abuse by parents generates abuse by children…and that truth is part of this myth, fleshed out by the author. The novel and the myth (in any of its retellings) address this painful truth. Violence begets violence; children learn it by example.