The Electra family tree in Greek mythology is complex because the name “Electra” belongs to at least three distinct figures: an Oceanid nymph, a Pleiad, and the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. The most famous is the daughter of Agamemnon, whose family is a tangled web of murder, revenge, and divine curses.
The Oceanid Electra
The earliest Electra is one of the Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. In Hesiod’s Theogony, she is listed among the elder nymphs and is the wife of the sea god Thaumas. Together they had two daughters, Iris (the rainbow messenger of the gods) and the Harpies—usually named Aello and Ocypete. This Electra appears only briefly in the myths, and her role is largely genealogical, connecting the sea to the winds and the rainbow.
The Pleiad Electra
A second Electra is one of the seven Pleiades, daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione. She was a mountain nymph who became the mother of Dardanus, the founder of the Trojan royal line, by Zeus. In some accounts, she also bore Iasion (or Eetion) to Zeus. Dardanus migrated from Arcadia to the Troad, where he established the city of Dardania, and his descendants included Tros, Ilus, and ultimately Priam, the king of Troy during the Trojan War. This Electra is thus the direct ancestor of the Trojans, and after the fall of Troy she was said to have become a wandering star, the “lost Pleiad,” because she could not bear to watch the destruction of her city.
Electra, Daughter of Agamemnon
The third and most famous Electra is the daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, and his wife Clytemnestra. Her siblings were Iphigenia, Orestes, and Chrysothemis. This family is the subject of the Oresteia trilogy by Aeschylus, as well as plays by Sophocles and Euripides. The family tree here is marked by a cycle of violence: Agamemnon sacrificed Iphigenia to get favorable winds for the Trojan War; Clytemnestra, with her lover Aegisthus, murdered Agamemnon upon his return; Electra helped her brother Orestes avenge their father by killing their mother and Aegisthus. After the matricide, Orestes was pursued by the Furies until Athena absolved him in Athens. Electra herself later married Pylades, Orestes’ loyal friend, and in some traditions they had two sons, Medon and Strophius.
Key Relatives in the House of Atreus
To understand Electra’s family, one must trace the curse on the House of Atreus. Her grandfather was Atreus, who feuded with his brother Thyestes over the throne of Mycenae. Atreus served Thyestes his own children at a banquet, and Thyestes’ son Aegisthus was born from an incestuous union with his own daughter Pelopia. Aegisthus later became Clytemnestra’s lover and co-murderer of Agamemnon. Agamemnon’s father was Atreus, and his mother was Aerope. Agamemnon’s brother was Menelaus, husband of Helen of Troy. Thus Electra’s immediate family includes:
- Parents: Agamemnon and Clytemnestra
- Siblings: Iphigenia, Orestes, Chrysothemis
- Grandparents (paternal): Atreus and Aerope
- Grandparents (maternal): Tyndareus and Leda (in most accounts)
- Uncle: Menelaus
- Husband: Pylades
- Children (in some traditions): Medon and Strophius
Conflicting Versions of the Family
Ancient sources do not agree on every detail. For instance, in Homer’s Odyssey, Electra is not mentioned by name; Orestes is the sole avenger. The tragedians later added Electra as a major character. In Sophocles’ Electra, she is unmarried and devoted to her father’s memory, while in Euripides’ Electra, she is married off to a farmer to prevent her from bearing noble children. Her children’s names also vary: some say she had a son named Pylades (after his father), while others give Medon and Strophius. The identity of her maternal grandparents is also inconsistent: Clytemnestra is usually the daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, but in some versions she is the daughter of Leda and Zeus, making her a half-sister of Helen and the Dioscuri.
Electra in the Trojan War Context
Electra’s family is deeply tied to the Trojan War. Her father Agamemnon led the Greek expedition to Troy. Her aunt Helen was the cause of the war, having eloped with Paris. Her cousin Hermione (daughter of Helen and Menelaus) later married Orestes in some accounts, uniting the two branches of the family. Electra’s own story is set in the immediate aftermath of the war, when her father returns victorious only to be murdered. The family’s fate is often seen as a consequence of Atreus’ crime and the gods’ curse upon the house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Electra’s parents?
Electra’s parents are Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, and Clytemnestra, daughter of Tyndareus and Leda. Agamemnon was the leader of the Greek forces in the Trojan War, and Clytemnestra was his wife who later killed him.
Did Electra have any children?
In most traditions, Electra married Pylades, the son of Strophius and a close friend of her brother Orestes. Some sources say they had two sons, Medon and Strophius, but other versions do not mention children.
Why did Electra help kill her mother?
Electra helped Orestes kill Clytemnestra because their mother had murdered their father Agamemnon upon his return from Troy. In Greek myth, the duty to avenge a father’s death was paramount, even if it meant killing one’s own mother.
Is Electra the same as the Pleiad Electra?
No, they are distinct figures. The Pleiad Electra is a daughter of Atlas and the mother of Dardanus, ancestor of the Trojans. The daughter of Agamemnon is a mortal princess from the House of Atreus. The shared name often causes confusion, but they belong to different myths.
What happened to Electra after the matricide?
After Orestes killed Clytemnestra, Electra supported him through the ensuing madness and pursuit by the Furies. In some accounts, she accompanied him to Athens for his trial, and after his acquittal she married Pylades. She is not said to have suffered any punishment herself.
Did Electra have a sister named Iphigenia?
Yes, Iphigenia was her older sister. In the most common version, Agamemnon sacrificed Iphigenia to Artemis at Aulis to gain favorable winds for the Trojan War, which was the initial act that set the family’s tragedy in motion. In some later versions, Artemis saved Iphigenia and made her a priestess in Tauris.
Related
- Laufey in Norse Mythology: Loki’s Mother
- Uni in Etruscan Mythology: Queen of the Gods
- Electra in Greek Mythology: Roles and Myths
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