“The Flies” by Jean-Paul Sartre (Emmy Hu)
What do you think is the main theme of the play? Did other themes intertwine with it or do you think that theme dominated the play? Do you think other themes should have been emphasized more?
One of the pervading themes in The Flies by Jean-Paul Sartre was control, in that the king (Aegisthus) used fear in order to get people to be more pious and make sacrifice to the gods. At the same time there was an obvious message being made about how religion and superstition can be used to control people, such as when Aegisthus told the people that the dead would be released to haunt the people that wronged them forcing them to be more respectful. There was a very strong existentialist / humanist message in this play, which is portrayed in the very, very humanlike Zeus. This theme obviously helped to support the message. There was not a more fitting theme to be truly emphasized, especially considering the historical context of this book’s inception. This was written during a time of Nazi occupation in France, and Sartre was trying to make very obvious parallels to the Oresteia in his revision so that the French audiences could realize what they’ve gotten themselves into, and the course of action that they needed to take.
What action in the play do you think had the most impact on later events? Why? Do you think that particular action fit into the plot well, or do you think it should be changed? If yes, how so?
The event that had the most impact in the trilogy was Electra’s use of reverse psychology to get Orestes to murder Aegisthos and Clytaemnestra. The reason that this event was so crucial, besides leading to the deaths of these two main oppressing characters, was that it signaled a transformation in Orestes. He stopped being the weak brother and assumed a role of responsibility and power. He even declared himself a free man, not under the influence of any king, or even any god (which I think Sartre uses in order to not only convince the 1943 French to rise up against fascist rule but to convey the ideas of existentialism further).
What do you think of Electra’s role in the play? Do you think she should have had a larger part, especially in Clytaemnestra’s murder? What do you think about the role and status of women in ancient Greece as a result of the way Sartre portrayed Electra?
I believe that in The Flies, Sartre had Electra play the most crucial role in Clytaemnestra’s murder, and it felt so fitting because of that fact that Electra was so oppressed by both Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus. In comparison to the Oresteia, Electra played a lot less of a passive role in this revision, not only in that she used reverse psychology to manipulate Orestes, but she at certain points in the story, disobeyed her oppressing parents. She wasn’t portrayed as easily swayed in this revision. In fact that would better describe Orestes, since he went from outcast to godless free man and murderer. I think Sartre does women more justice than Aeschylus considering that in the Oresteia, women are portrayed with a bunch of bad qualities: murderous, fickle, etc. Sartre also makes women in this play vindictive, and manipulative, but these qualities are a lot more “manlike” I suppose, or more so portrayed as manlike.
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