Sophocles' Electra deals with the famous story of Orestes' vengeance on his mother Clytemnestra for her murder of his father Agamemnon. This book discusses whether the matricide is a just and final act of violence, or whether Sophocles ironically implies that it is more problematic than it seems. Electra is notable among Sophocles' plays for the prominent part played by female characters, especially the heroic resistance and suffering of Orestes' sister Electra. Michael Lloyd pays particular attention to the portrayal of Electra herself, but also discusses wider issues of dramatic characterisation and Greek ethics.