აგამემნონის სახე ბერძნულ ლიტერატურაში ჰომეროსიდან იანის რიცოსამდე

Abstract

The centuries-old history of the literary interpretation of the figure of Agamemnon in Greek poetry, from Homer to Yiannis Ritsos, is a vivid example of how an ancient mythological character may be revived in the literature of different periods to reflect the author’s contemporary ideals and world perception.Although Ancient Eastern documents of the Bronze Age and Linear B texts lack evidence testifying to Agamemnon as a historical figure, the character undoubtedly had a prototype in the pre-Homeric mythological tradition.The earliest surviving work of Greek literature portrays Agamemnon as a fully-fledged literary character emerging from myths. Like many other characters of the Iliad, he has distinct personality traits which include both merits and flaws. Agamemnon is praised with positive epithets that signify his power. He incurs negative epithets only from Achilles, who is furious with the Atrid. Agamemnon’s coordinating character trait is taking wrong decision at critical moments, which he later defies either on his own or due to the unfolding events. He is ready to learn from his own mistakes as the situation develops, while his actions earn him appreciation and sympathy. In the Odyssey, the story of Agamemnon’s murder told by the Atrid’s spirit adds a tragic function to his character. In fact, following Homer, the literary figure of Agamemnon ceased to develop in the Archaic epic tradition. As Aristotle notes, Homer remains the only epic poet capable of portraying characters. In Hesiod, as well as in the Epic Cycle, the traditional story of Agamemnon is merely enriched with new elements (the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the scene at Tenedos, disagreement between Agamemnon and Menelaus, the shadow of Achilles).Likewise, lyric poets mainly offer new story developments related to the Atrid without elaborating on the character. Thus, Agamemnon either appears as a symbol of the glorious past and splendid victory of the Mycenaeans, a model and encouragement for the Hellenes in the Archaic Age as well, or as a triumphant figure ruthlessly betrayed by people close to him and revenged upon by his son. Stesichorus played a major role in shaping the version of the tragic story of the house of Atreus that was so productively employed by the tragedians. His Oresteia is the first to feature Clytemnestra’s portentous dream. Probably for political reasons, Stesichorus calls Agamemnon the son of Pleisthenes, while the setting of his murder is Sparta and not Mycenae. Stesichorus is first to mention a double-blade axe as a weapon for murdering Agamemnon, while young Orestes is shown to be saved by his nurse Laodamia.Highlighting Clytemnestra’s role in Agamemnon’s murder, Pindar attempts to elaborate on her motives for the hideous crime: whether it was provoked by the sacrifice of Iphigenia or by her amorous passion. I share the opinion that in Pindar’s Pythian 11, the main motive of Clytemnestra’s treachery was her relationship with Aegisthus, as shown in lines 25ff that discuss hateful sins of young wives. Lyric poetry focuses on family details of the story of Agamemnon to a greater degree than the epics, thus preparing grounds for the portrayal of Agamemnon in a new light in classical tragedy. Following Homer, Classical tragedy played a key role in the shaping of Agamemnon’s character. Either directly or indirectly, Agamemnon features in fifteen surviving Greek tragedies. He is portrayed as the commander of the unified Achaean army and the triumphant leader of the Trojan War, a husband, father and a victim of a hideous treachery. Unlike Homeric and Archaic epics, the tragedies bring into focus women characters who are either known from the Homeric epics or appear in the story for the first time (Clytemnestra, Iphigenia, Electra, Chrysothemis, Hecuba). The responsibility for Agamemnon’s murder is almost fully shifted from Aegisthus to Clytemnestra. Electra supports Orestes in his revenge and is the main source of love for her father. The tragedians focus on the inner state of children revenging the death of their father by killing their mother. Unlike the Iliad, when the theme of the house of Atreus is developed in the classical tragedies, Iphigenia acquires a central role in portraying Agamemnon as a father. Along with the Homeric epic, Aeschylus’ tragedies are the main source of inspiration for modern Greek poets in their attempt to revive the literary character of Agamemnon. Although Cavafy’s When the Watchman Saw the Light displays close linguistic and stylistic affinity with the Prologue of Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, the 20th century poet’s interpretation of Agamemnon’s story is different from Aeschylus’. He shows no respect for glorious titles and epithets, believing that no governor is indispensable and neither is Agamemnon, as royal power is not eternal goodness coming from God. All kings can be replaced and “Argos can do without the house of Atreus.” George Seferis, who finds that figures of the Antiquity invigorate the imagination of modern, living people, pays special attention to the Aeschylean interpretation of myth in order to start a dialogue with the tradition. He sees a myth as a sign from the past referring to contemporary events, and as the most important order and rule of the universe.Odysseus Elytis presents the Atrid myth through allusions and quotes, paying particular attention to Aescylus’ plays. His Agamemnon reflects on the perpetuity of the theme of murder, revenge and vanity.An original, unusual interpretation of the figure of Agamemnon is offered by Yiannis Ritsos. Six monologues out of twelve in The Fourth Dimension are devoted to the house of Atreus. The monologue Agamemnon portrays a commander tired of life and confirmed in the vanity of war, who finds warfare as vicious and destructive for the winners as it is for the defeated. The fatal bath is Agamemnon’s hope for purification. Whether or not he is aware of the approaching death at the hands of his wife, he already feels drained out of life. Although Clytemnestra is a weapon of destiny, Agamemnon accepts death of his own will. By employing the structural elements of Aeschylus’ tragedy, Ritsos creates a new, modern text that portrays a totally different personality of Agamemnon as compared to the Aeschylean character. Ritsos’ Agamemnon attempts to look deep into himself to understand what his genuine desire is and what others expect from him. Ritsos’ poems put the final touch to the transformation of Agamemnon from an ancient triumphant hero doomed to a tragic fate into a modern human reflecting over existential issues.

Στόχος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η διερεύνηση του μύθου του Αγαμέμνονα σε ποιητικά κείμενα της αρχαίας ελληνικής και νεοελληνικής γραμματείας, η παρουσίαση της ιδιαίτερης μορφής του και η εξέτασή της από τον Όμηρο μέχρι και τον Γιάννη Ρίτσο. Μας ενδιαφέρει αφενός να φωτιστούν οι διαφορετικές πλευρές της προσωπικότητάς του, τα κίνητρα που τον οδηγούν στις εκάστοτε ενέργειες και αφετέρου να ανιχνευτούν οι λόγοι για τους οποίους, ενδεχομένως, επιλέγει ο κάθε δημιουργός να τον σκιαγραφήσει με συγκεκριμένο τρόπο. Σκοπός της εργασίας είναι να παρακολουθήσει πώς παρουσιάζεται στην αρχαία ελληνική γραμματεία ο Αγαμέμνονας· πώς επανακάμπτει η μορφή του στη νεότερη δραματουργία· σε ποια επίπεδα εντοπίζεται η σύγχρονη διαφορετικότητά του. Απώτερος στόχος είναι να ανιχνευτούν τα ιδεολογήματα εκείνα που πλαισιώνουν το συγκεκριμένο πρόσωπο και εκφράζουν τις ιδιαιτερότητες, τις επιλογές και τους προσανατολισμούς των σύγχρονων Ελλήνων δραματουργών.Πιο συγκεκριμένα, ο πρώτος στόχος της παρούσας μελέτης είναι η αποσαφήνιση κάποιων πληροφοριών σχετικά με τη μορφή του Αγαμέμνονα στα ποιητικά κείμενα της αρχαιοελληνικής γραμματείας, γιατί συχνά εμφανίζονται αντικρουόμενες πληροφορίες π.χ. για την καταγωγή του, τα μέλη της οικογένειάς του, τις συνθήκες του θανάτου του κ.α. Μάλιστα από τη μελέτη των κλασικών κειμένων είναι δύσκολη οποιαδήποτε ρητή απάντηση στα ερωτήματα της ενοχής και της αναγκαιότητας του τόσο φρικτού τέλους του Αγαμέμνονα, έχει ενδιαφέρον να δούμε τη θέση των κειμένων της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας στα ερωτήματα αυτά και στην παρουσίαση ενός τόσο αμφιλεγόμενου χαρακτήρα. Ένας δεύτερος στόχος είναι ο εντοπισμός των κειμένων της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας, στα οποία φιλοξενείται ο Αγαμέμνονας στη νεοελληνική διαδρομή του. Με εργαλεία τη θεματική ανάλυση και τη διακειμενικότητα θα γίνει προσπάθεια να ανιχνευτούν τα μοτίβα και τα μυθήματα και πώς αυτά σμιλεύτηκαν, ανασημασιοδοτήθηκαν και μεταγράφηκαν από τους δημιουργούς στα έργα τους. Είναι ζητούμενο της μελέτης αυτής να δούμε πώς συγκροτείται το ήθος του Αγαμέμνονα στα κείμενα, με δεδομένη την αρχή ότι ο λόγος είναι «η λεξική κρυστάλλωση του ήθους».

სადოქტორო ნაშრომის ზოგადი დასახიათება საკვლევი თემის ობიექტი, კვლევითი ამოცანა და მიზანი ნაშრომში განხილულია აგამემნონის მითი ძველი ბერ- ძნული და თანამედროვე ბერძნული ლიტერატურის პოეტ- ურ ტექსტებში. კვლევის მიზანია გმირის აგამემნონის მითო- ლოგიური ისტორიის გაცოცხლების შესწავლა ლიტერატუ- რულ ნაწარმოებებში ჰომეროსიდან დაწყებული თანამედრო- ვე ბერძენი პოეტამდე, იანის რიცოსამდე. მითი არის სიმბოლოების, არქეტიპების, ფორმების დი- ნამიური ნაკრები და, როგორც ბლუმენბერგი აღნიშნავს,1 - „მითი, როგორც მისი შეგროვების ინსტრუმენტი და მისი შერჩევითი მექანიზმი, ღიაა პლურალიზმისთვის, რაც ნიშ- ნავს, რომ იგი აღიქმება როგორც მისი ვარიანტების მთლიან- ობა”. დისერტაცია ყურადღებით იკვლევს აგამემნონის მი- თის ვარიანტებს ძველ ბერძნულ პოეზიაში და აგრეთვე მისი მითიური ისტორიის გაცოცხლების ისტორიას თანამედროვე პოეზიაში. ვაანალიზებთ ურთიერთქმედებას ძველ ბერძენ და თა- ნამედროვე ბერძენ პოეტებს შორის, რომლებიც მიისწრაფვი- ან აგამემნონის მითისა და მისი თემატური ადგილების დიაქ- რონული წაკითხვისკენ ახალ ესთეტიკურ, იდეოლოგიურ და სოციალურ-პოლიტიკურ კონტექსტებში.