Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Serious, Dark
Aeschylus's Agamemnon isn't very funny at all. There's no getting round it: this is one dark, scary, bloody, mind-bending play that may leave your eyebrows permanently furrowed. So why read it then? Well, for one thing, there's always the thrill of the challenge; if you can grapple with Aeschylus, you'll be pretty much set to take on anything that comes. In fact, you might even start to find Aeschylus's own intense seriousness pretty fun. But you don't have to take our word for it; just give the play a go, and see what happens.