April 2010
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59 Reads
Iphigenia in Aulis is the tragedy of Euripides. Centering on the ethical knot of whether Iphigenia should be sacrificed or not, and through the descriptions of the characters such as Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemnestra and Iphigenia, the tragedy expresses the playwright's reflections on duty, responsibility, fame and life, and states the idea that when there is a conflict between collective interests and personal interests, emotions should give way to reason, and personal interests to collective interests. The portrayal of Iphigenia is not only the representation and the extension of Euripides'theme of sympathy for women, but also the praise of Iphigenia for her refined sentiment and noble character to sacrifice personal interests in order to preserve collective interests.