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CELIA MARIA ARNS.pdf - Universidade Federal do Paraná

CELIA MARIA ARNS.pdf - Universidade Federal do Paraná

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of each particular period. During Agamemnon's order,<br />

transcendental values have only a secondary signifi-<br />

cance because affairs of war and state are considered<br />

more important. The rituals, in the ancient state ruled<br />

over by the conquering king, have only a decorative<br />

and social function, preserving traditions and main-<br />

taining the solemnity of public events 5 . Agamemnon ...<br />

recognized the need for gods. He went to the temple<br />

twice a year, and, if someone close to him died, there<br />

were, of course, added visits. (P 19) Aegisthus' sys-<br />

tem, on the other hand, gives priority to religious<br />

affairs, although the extreme respect of the Greek<br />

people for the gods is not preserved in the modern<br />

play. Youth, in The Prodi gal,which is represented mainly by<br />

Orestes and Pylades, is totally cynical and indiffer-<br />

ent towards religion. Pylades <strong>do</strong>es not respect the<br />

gods and expresses his contempt for the rituals when<br />

he mocks the smell produced by the sacrifices, ...Are<br />

they roasting goats in Zeus' name? (...) The gods must<br />

be less sensitive to unpleasant smells than we mortals.<br />

CP 10) In the same scene, Penelope continues the<br />

description of these ridiculous rituals by saying, ...<br />

the drops of blood, dances by the priests, and Aegis-<br />

thus declaiming his boring poems to the gods... (P 10)<br />

Electra also expresses her disgust, saying that she is<br />

sickened by the rituals, The o<strong>do</strong>r <strong>do</strong>esn't sicken me as<br />

36

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