Clytemnestra

In Clytemnestra’s narrative, the lion emerges as a recurring symbol representing power and authority. Often associated with kingship and divine favor in ancient Greece, the lion symbolizes the pinnacle of royal authority and the might of kingship. Agamemnon’s epithet as the “Lion of Mycenae” reinforces his position of supreme power and authority. Clytemnestra’s journey from subjugation under this lion-like authority to her own embodiment of the lion’s qualities represents a key arc in the story. Initially, the lion symbolizes the forces that dominate and restrict her, but as she grows in strength and agency, she begins to take on the attributes of the lion herself, becoming a figure of authority, strength, and ferocity, especially in her quest for revenge.

In the broader context of ancient Greek culture, the lion was also associated with a ferocious and sometimes destructive nature. This duality mirrors the complex themes in Clytemnestra’s story, for like all predators, lions hunt and kill to survive. In the first chapter, entitled “Prey,” Clytemnestra encounters a deer, symbolizing the opposite of the lion and marking the beginning of her journey toward becoming a predator like the lion. The lion symbol thus carries multiple layers of meaning, reflecting the characters’ personal transformations, the dynamics of power and authority, and the undercurrents of violence and retribution.