Elucidating Electra

Within the myth of Electra, multiple elements of virtually all theoretical approaches to mythology are found. The various incarnations of the Electra myth generally go like this: Agamemnon marries Clytemnestra and together they have three children: Iphigenia, Electra, and Orestes. Agamemnon goes off to fight in the Trojan War; he and his men get stuck – the wind won’t blow so their ships won’t sail – so he sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia, as restitution for killing a stag sacred to Artemis. Clytemnestra is so angry at her husband for killing her daughter that she takes up with another man (Aegisthus) and, upon Agamemnon’s return, murders him. The murder of the father angers Orestes and especially Electra. The god Apollo orders Orestes to avenge his father’s death by killing his mother and stepfather, which he does so with the help of Electra. In summary: father kills daughter, wife kills husband, son kills step-father and mother. While the psychological approach seems to apply most fully, to gain the fullest possible understanding and appreciation for this (or any other) myth, one must approach it from multiple perspectives.

Exploring Death in Epictetus

Epictetus’ teachings provide significant amounts of clear, easy-to-understand practical advice on living day-to-day life. One of the strengths of Epictetus’ teachings is in dealing with suffering, pain, hardships and other negatives of live. Epictetus views the various sufferings of one’s body as something to be viewed as outside of our control; in fact, one is to carry one’s pain with equanimity. For Epictetus, death is not to be feared, as it is inevitable. Epictetus also views suicide and euthanasia [1] to end unendurable suffering as acceptable and good. Throughout his teachings, Epictetus provides many logical foundations to help his followers endure suffering with equanimity, especially when facing death. However, despite his belief in the existence of god, Epictetus does not provide for any sort of rebirth or afterlife. In a philosophy heavy on providing people with the means to face the hardships of life with a certain level of comfort, the lack of an afterlife to provide hope and comfort to both the dying and their survivors is a serious weakness.