【Elektra】Synopsis, Character Map

Maid
Where’s Elektra?

Wo bleibt Elektra?

Maid
Isn’t it time for her to go? Time for her to cry out for her father.

Maid
Did you see the way she looked at us?

Maid
Her eyes have the venomous look of a stray cat.

Maid
I saw her laying there the other day, moaning.

Maid
She always does that when the sun is low in the sky.

Maid
So the two of us went and we got too close to her.

Maid
She can’t stand to be seen.

Maid
Yes, we got too close to her. She became as hysterical as a cat. “Get away from me!” So she yelled.

Maid
She hit me with a mop.

Maid
“You shall not devour the sweetness of affliction. Go away. Eat until you are fat. Have fun with men.” She shouted.

Maid
I told her back. “When people are hungry, they eat.” Then she jumped up and shouted with a horrified look on her face.” I have vultures in my body.”

Maid
What did you say?

Maid
“So you’re poking at an old corpse where it smells like carrion.” I retorted. She just growled and rolled over.

Maid
Why is the Queen letting her do whatever she wants? I’d keep her locked up if I were you.

Maid
They’re hard enough on her.

Young maid
I will prostrate myself before her and kiss her feet. She is a child of royalty. Is it appropriate to humiliate her in this way? I anoint her feet with fragrant oil and dry them with my hair.

The head maid
Come in.

Young maid
You people do not deserve the air she breathes. Hang yourselves and let them hang you in a darkened barn. It’s payback for what you did to Elektra.

The head maid
Did you hear that? What did we do? She threw the dishes off the table when she was ordered to eat with us. She spat at us in front of us and called us whores.

Maid
She’s always ranting and raving.

The head maid
When she saw that we had a child with us, she screamed.” What a curse! The children born in this house will slip like dogs on the bloody stairs.”

She may or may not have said that.

The Four Maids
She said. She said.

I’m alone. I’m completely alone. My father is gone. He’s been driven into the cold valley. Agamemnon! Agamemnon! Father, where are you?

Now it’s that time. When they murdered you, your wife and he became one in the bed of kings. They murdered you in the bathhouse.

You have a son, Orest, and daughters. When the three of us have finished everything, a crimson tent will be pitched with the vapors of blood drawn by the sun. Your blood relatives will dance around your grave. People will watch from afar as my shadow dances, and they will say: “The feast of the great king is about to begin. Happy is the man who has children who dance around the tomb in the triumph of the king.” Agamemnon! Agamemnon!

Allein! Weh, ganz allein

Elektra!

Oh, your face!

Do you hate my face that much?

What do you want? Talk to me. And when you’re done, leave me.

Why do you raise your hands? And so my father raised his hands. Then the ax came down and ripped his flesh. What do you want?

These women are up to something terrible.

Two women? One woman is my mother. The other woman is Aegisth. He’s a cowardly killer. He’s only brave in bed. So, what are they trying to do?

You may be thrown into a tower and not be able to see the light of the sun or moon.

They will. I know it. I’ve heard it all before.

How did you hear that?

Through the door. Elektra.

Do not open the door in this house! Squeezed breath, oh. I can hear the gasp of someone being strangled.

Do not open the door. Do not roam. Sit on the ground like I did and wish for death to bring him and her to justice.

I cannot sit here staring into the darkness as you do. Every room in my house is haunting me. Already my heart is turned to stone and I cannot even cry. Sister, pity me.

To who?

You make me suffer. If it weren’t for you, they would have left me alone. If they hadn’t shuddered at your hatred, we would have been freed from here. I want to get out of here. I want to have a child. Are you listening? Please answer me.

You poor creatures.

Pity you and me. Who cares about such suffering? My father is dead. Our brother has not returned. I saw a woman give birth to a child by blessing. And the child grows up. I am a woman. I want to know the fate of women.

What are you crying for? Get away from me. Get inside. There’s a place for you.

You have to leave. Don’t see her.

I need to talk to my mother.

I don’t want to hear it.

What do you want? (To the confidante) Look at that. See how her twisted neck bends back. She clicked her tongue.

O gods, why do terrible things happen to me? Eternal gods, why do these things happen to me?

Was willst du? Seht doch, dort!

Do you need gods? You’re a goddess.

(To the confidante) Did you hear that?

Her confidante
Doesn’t that mean you’re one of the gods?

Her trainbearer
(In a low voice) Isn’t there some kind of agenda?

Her voice is nostalgic. She knows me well. But I don’t know what she’s up to.

You are no longer yourself. Insects are always buzzing around you. Words whispered in your ear split your thoughts in two, so you walk around in a daze and always feel as if you are in a dream.

She’s not malicious today. She talks like a doctor.

Her confidante
She never talks seriously.

Her trainbearer
Everything she says is a lie.

I don’t want to hear anything. What you say is like the breath of Aegisth. When I wake you at night, you say different things. You say your eyelids are swollen. You say your liver is bad.

What is the truth? No one knows. If only she would tell me something that I would enjoy hearing. I will listen to what she has to say.

Above all, I need help. Leave me alone with her.

I can’t have a peaceful night. Do you know the antidote for dreams?

Ich habe keine guten Nächte

Mother, are you dreaming?

All old people dream. There is a ritual to everything. That’s why I wear jewelry with power. But I can’t use its power to my advantage. I wish you could tell me what’s good for me. As long as it’s okay with you, you can say what’s good for me.

I do?

Yes, you. You’re smart. You could say something useful to me.

Whenever I sleep with my eyes open, day or night, something creeps up on me. It’s not painful, it’s not oppressive. It’s not even a nightmare. And yet, it’s so bad.

My soul wants me to hang myself. Every inch of my body is screaming for death. But I am alive, and I am not sick.

You’re looking at me. Do I look like a sick man?

This dream must come to an end. All demons are the ones who let people go as soon as the right blood is spilled. I no longer want to dream.

When the righteous blood sacrifice falls under the ax, you will no longer dream.

Do you know which sacred animal it is?

It’s not sacred.

Tell me the animals to be sacrificed.

It’s a woman.

One of my servants? A child, a virgin, or a woman who has known a man?

Yeah, a woman who knows men.

So what do I do?

You don’t do anything. The man does.

Aegisth?

I said. The man does.

Who is it? One of my own? A stranger?

He’s a stranger, and he’s one of us.

Don’t play riddles with me.

Mother, can you please let my brother in the house?

I forbid you to speak of him.

Are you afraid of him?

Who is afraid of a fool? He can’t say anything, he sleeps with the dogs in the yard, and they say he can’t tell the difference between man and beast.

He was quite healthy.

I sent him a lot of money so that he would be treated as the son of a king.

Liar. You would have sent the money to kill him.

Who told you that?

I can see it in your eyes. In your trembling, I see that he is alive. Your heart aches with fear because you know he is coming back.

It doesn’t matter to me who is outside the house. I am the master of the house. I have enough servants to guard the gates.

I can get the words out of you. I could put you in chains and make you say it. I’ll make sure you don’t get any food.

Once I know who will be sacrificed, I can sleep again.

Whose blood has to be spilled? It’s your head.

When the hunter comes, you run around the room. If you go to the right, you will find a bed. If you go to the left, you will find a pool of blood in the bathroom. I am the one who joins the hunter. It is my father who emerges from the darkness. At his feet, we push you down. You will hold out your head. You will feel the blow. But he will hold back the blow.

The ritual is still not enough. All is silent, and you can hear the sound of your heart against your ribs. It’s time for you. It is given to make you feel the despair of death.

Then I will stand in front of you. You will read the terrible words written on my face. The ax will fall on you. Then you will dream no more. You won’t have to dream anymore.

What had they said to her? She was happy. I can’t think of anything.

Orest is dead! Everyone knew it, except us.

No one knows. It’s not true.

No, it’s not! I’m telling you. It’s not true.

Strangers had been sent to report here. They were an old man and a young man.

(In a strong tone) That’s not true.

He died in a foreign land. His horse killed him and dragged him away.

Young servant
I want you to saddle up as soon as possible. I don’t care if it’s a horse, a mule, or a cow, just hurry.

Old servant
For whom?

Young servant
It’s for my good. I have to go out into the field to pick up my master’s. I have to give him a pleasing and important message.

You and I have to do this. Today is the day. Tonight.

(Fearfully) What?

Now, you and I must go and slay the woman and her man.

Do you mean my mother?

We must kill her and him without hesitation. No talking, no thinking. Think about how we’re going to do it.

Me? You and me? With both hands?

First her, then him. First him, then her, same thing. No one is sleeping in her antechamber.

You’re going to murder her in her sleep?

Those who sleep are bound, victims. If they had not slept together, I could have done it alone. But now you must go with me.

You! You! You are strong. How strong you are. The night of your virginity made you strong. Every part of your body is filled with strength. You are full of strength, beautiful, like ripe fruit.

Let it go!

I won’t let go. I want to be your sister. I will sit with you in your room and wait for your bridegroom. I will bathe you in a fragrant bath and anoint you with perfume. From this day on, I will be more than your sister and I will serve you as your slave.

There is no other way for you. I will not let you go until you swear to me. Tonight, when it is quiet, be sure to come to the bottom of the stairs.

I can’t!

Damn. Then I’ll do it alone.

Stranger, what do you want? What are you doing at this dark hour? Leave me alone.

Was willst du, fremder Mensch?

I have to wait here. Are you the maid of honor here?

Yes, I serve in this house. But you have no business here. Now, be gone.

I told you I have to wait here until I am called.

Don’t lie. The master of this house is not home. The other one is her. What does she want with you?

I have to tell her. I have come to tell her of the death of her son Orest. He was killed by his horse. I was close to his age and was his companion.

Do I still have to talk to you? O, unfortunate messenger. You are alive. A nobler man than you is dead.

He enjoyed his life too much. The gods in heaven cannot bear the sight of too much bright desire. So he had to die.

Those in this house eat, drink, sleep and live happily. I live a lonely and terrible life on this ground.

Who are you? Are you related by blood to the dead Agamemnon and Orest?

I am its blood. I am the blood of King Agamemnon. Elektra is my name!

Elektra! What the hell happened? Am I looking at her? Did they starve you? Did they beat you? Your eyes are terrible. Your cheeks are hollow.

Go inside the house. You will find my sister inside. She is protecting herself for the banquet of joy. I don’t even want to know who you are.

Elektra! Listen to me. Orest is alive.

Where is my brother? Please save him before someone strangles him. Who are you?

The dogs in the courtyard recognize me, but how could my sister not?

Orest! Let me see your eyes. You have a face more beautiful and sublime than any dream. I am ashamed. I am but a corpse now. I know you shudder at the sight of me.

I think I was beautiful when I was the daughter of a king. Once I turned off the lights and looked at the white nakedness of my body in front of the mirror, illuminated by the pale light of the moon, and felt a virginal shiver. But I had to leave it all behind. I had to abandon the silver haze around all women, the milky haze of the moon, the sense of shame, for the sake of my father.

Never mind my trembling.

Do it alone? Poor kid.

The gods will help me.

Blessed are those who can do. Doing is like a bed on which the soul rests. It is a wound, a burn, pus, a flame.

Orest’ servant
Is he out of his mind? Everything could ruin what we have to do.

(To Orest) She is waiting inside. Her attendants are looking for you. There is no man in the house. Orest!

I could not give him the ax. Is there no God in this world?

Again!

Something must have happened.

Maid
I heard men going in. Maybe there is a killing going on in the palace.

Maid
Aah! There’s someone at the door of the palace.

It’s Elektra.

Maid
Why doesn’t she speak? I’m going to call people.

(To Elektra) Why won’t you open the door?

Maid
Aegisth returned. We better go back to our rooms. He will go through the courtyard. If anything happens in the palace, he will kill us.

Aegisth
Hey, bring a light. Is there anyone here?

Aegisth
What a creepy woman.

Aegisth
Is that you? Who told you to welcome me?

Am I not allowed to bring the torch to you?

Aegisth
Where is the one who can tell me about Orest?

Inside the palace. He spends his time with a kind hostess.

Aegisth
He came to inform us of Orest’s death, didn’t he? Why are you wandering around with a torch?

I have decided to be wise and stand by the strongest of men. So I will put a light before you.

Aegisth
(hesitates a little) Then, to the door. Why do you dance?

Aegisth
Why is there no light here? Who is there?

They are the ones who want to welcome you in person. I have disturbed you all in the past, and I will now retreat when I must.

Aegisth
Murderer. Save the master of the palace. Did no one hear you?

Agamemnon is listening.

Aegisth
Painful.

Elektra. Sister, come with me. I have a brother in the palace. Orest did it. I hear them cheering with joy. Can’t you hear them?

Can’t you hear that music? Infinite footsteps echo on the ground. Everyone is waiting for me. They are waiting for me to lead the dance. But I can’t. I cannot move my body.

Ob ich nicht höre?

Can’t you hear that? They are carrying our brother. Everyone is crying.

Silence, and dance. Everyone comes this way. I carry the burden of happiness. And I dance before you. Silence, and dance.

Schweig, und tanze

Orest! Orest!