Suffering and Aeschylus

In the first play of Aeschylus's Oresteia, Agamemnon, the statement is made by the chorus: "Zeus, who laid it down that man must in sorrow learn and through pain to wisdom find his way" (Agamemnon, 84-86). This statement is a central theme throughout the Agamemnon and Aeschylus seems to be implying that wisdom comes only through suffering. Suffering is possibly the most effective tool for attaining wisdom. It is, however, not the only modality through which wisdom can be attained and there are major discrepancies when this statement is applied to the human experience. Using Groundhog Day as a point of reference, this topic will be examined. In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray plays a character (Phil) who is permanently stuck reliving the same day. Each morning, he wakes up on the same day, February 2nd, Groundhog Day. He attempts suicide, obnoxious behavior, and trying to tell others of his plight to rectify his dilemma. None of these attempts save him from his circumstance. In the final minutes of the movie, Phil demonstrates complete selflessness and a state of enlightenment. It is only then that he is freed from his suffering and wakes up on February 3rd. The day after Groundhog's Day. In the case of Phil from Groundhog's Day, it is evident that the character portrayed would never have changed his behavior or ideology without being subjected to an extreme measure of suffering. In this sense, the movie is in compliance with Aeschylus' statement. It is not stated how long Phil is stuck in this state, but certain clues lead the audience to believe it is perhaps decades or centuries. In congruence with this thesis, however; it is important to note that the value of the wisdom gained may have some relation to the time spent attaining it. Human beings do not have the luxury to live for hundreds or thousands of years and perhaps these lessons could be learned without suffering if given enough time. Although suffering is certainly an