Clytaemestra and Justice

Clytaemestra, as a woman in Greek society, was not justified in taking the life of her husband, Agamemnon. Clytaemestra had every right to be angry at Agamemnon for killing her daughter. However, her anger and disadvantaged position in society do not justify her vigilante actions. Women in ancient Greek society were not citizens and were considered the property of male family members. This relationship is similar to the one of African American slaves and plantation owners in Colonial America. Slaves were considered the property of their masters and slave masters had the power to take a slave's life. In Greek society, men were the leaders of the house and had power over the lives of their wives and children. Therefore, when Agamemnon decided it would be in the best interest of Argos to sacrafice his daughter to the Gods, Clytaemestra had no power to contest this decision. Clytaemestra was upset about this injustice; however, this does not give her the right to take the law into her own hands.
The legal system in Argos permits vigilante justice similar to the Code of Hammurabi. In ancient Greek society, if someone murders your father, it is your duty to avenge your father's death by killing his murderer. You would be looked upon as a coward and ostracized if you did not avenge a kin's death. The Gods enforce this rule of vengance. In Argos, this code has now produced a long line of bloodshed in the royal house. Will this ongoing cycle ever stop? Orestes must avenge his father's death by killing his mother. If not, the Gods will punish Orestes. However, if Orestes does kill his own mother, he will simply be the fate of another act of vengance and the target of his mother's curse. It seems like Orestes is in a tough position that will only turn out to his disadvantage. Orestes may have been able to stop this ongoing cycle if he had sacraficed himself and said "no" to the Gods' request and did not kill his mother.
In my opinion, the legal system in Argos should be changd to reduce the use of "eye for eye" justice. This change, however, is impossible because of the fact that the Gods themselves enforce this code of conduct.