A Different Kind of Tragedy 1-13-99 Euripides Medea Part 1 Medea what’s it about? Background production, playwright, context, myth A Different Kind of Tragedy? Agon tragic sophistic A Different Kind of Tragedy Theme in Medea discuss … Background Production, Historical Context, Myth Agon Jason vs. Medea (pp. 47 ff.) Theme Again Gender, Ethnicity CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

1-13-99 Euripides’ Medea What’s it About? CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

What’s it About? (themes, issues) 1-13-99 What’s it About? (themes, issues) revenge - lover scorned family ties twisted love justice (personal) vendetta revenge betrayal love lost outcast barbarian self-service pride betrayal / unfaithfulness fear of outsiders origin, roots (m’s betrayal) broken promises – marriage hubristic jason deserves punishment meaning of marriage m: = love j: = social-ladder, secure CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Production, Playwright, Context, Myth 1-13-99 Background Production, Playwright, Context, Myth CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Playwright, Play Euripides Production 485/4 or 480–ca. 406 22 entries 1-13-99 Playwright, Play Euripides 485/4 or 480–ca. 406 22 entries 4 wins Production 431 BCE Patriotic themes?? “From of old the children of Erechtheus are / Splendid” (Chorus, p. 27) 485/4 or 480–ca. 406 competed 22 times 455 on… 4 wins Biographical tradition reclusive studious NERD CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

1-13-99 CLA77, Andrew Scholtz Jason, son of Aeson uncle Pelias “Why did the winged oars of the Argo | ever weave between those gnashing blue | fjords toward the land of Colchis?” (p. 33) Golden Fleece CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Medea’s Background maps Chariot of the Sun 1-13-99 CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

maps 1-13-99 CLA77, Andrew Scholtz Medea demonstrates how to rejuvenate creatures – part of her plan to destroy Jason’s evil uncle. CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Play Analysis (pages refer to Dover ed.) 1-13-99 Play Analysis (pages refer to Dover ed.) prologue (pp. 1 ff.) Nurse, Tutor, Medea (off stage) parodos (5 ff.) Chorus, Nurse, Medea (off stage) episode 1 (8 ff.) Medea, Creon – entrapment stasimon 1 (14 f.) misogyny, women’s silence reversed episode 2 (15 ff.) AGŌN: Jason, Medea stasimon 2 (20 f.) “may safe marriage, reasonable love be mine” episode 3 (21 ff.) Medea, Aegeus stasimon 3 (27 f.) Athens no land for Medea episode 4 (28 ff.) Jason, Medea – entrapment stasimon 4 (31 f.) murder approaches episode 5 (32 ff.) Tutor, Medea’s monologue anapestic (chanted) interlude (35 f.) Chorus: sorrows of parenthood episode 6 (36 ff.) Medea, Messenger (poisonings described) stasimon 5 (40 f.) desperate hopes (dochmiacs) exodos (41 ff.) catastrophe, Medea’s dea ex machina CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Euripidean Dramaturgy 1-13-99 Euripidean Dramaturgy A Different Kind of Tragedy? CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Euripidean Dramaturgy 1-13-99 Euripidean Dramaturgy Realism Anachronism Intellectualism Experimentalism genre-bending Originality Plotting, suspense Framing-closure prologue deus ex machina Euripides CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

1-13-99 “Sophocles said that he portrayed people as they ought to be and Euripides as they are” (Aristotle Poetics ch. 25) CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

A Different Kind of Tragedy? 1-13-99 A Different Kind of Tragedy? “I was at the place / Where the old draught-players sit, by the holy fountain, …” (Tutor, p. 3) “For not on us did Phoebus (= Apollo), lord of music, / Bestow the lyre’s divine / Power, for otherwise I should have sung an answer / To the other sex” (Chorus, 14) “When love is in excess / It brings a man no honor” (Chorus, 20) CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Agōn: Tragic Sophistic 1-13-99 Agōn: Tragic Sophistic Jason vs. Medea (pp. 15 ff.) CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Character Dynamics … chorus helps us side with her helps see m’s side 1-13-99 Character Dynamics … chorus helps us side with her helps see m’s side j is determined blaming the victim j maybe thinks he’s justified j feels no guilt at all covering bases j ignorant he was feeling guilty! damage control CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

“To make the weaker argument appear the stronger” – Protagoras 1-13-99 Sophistic “To make the weaker argument appear the stronger” – Protagoras sophos sophia sophistēs sophistic sophism sophistry CLA77, Andrew Scholtz

Agon Analysis (pp. 15 ff.) Medea: arguments Jason: arguments Medea 1-13-99 Agon Analysis (pp. 15 ff.) Medea: arguments M. helped-saved J. at cost J. broke vows. Where to go? shameful betrayal Jason: arguments Aphrodite saved J. though Medea helped M. gained more than gave. by moving to Greece Prudent match (argument from expediency). for J., for M., for children Women as trouble. (Tips his hand?) Medea “a hypocrite who is too glib only multiplies the danger that it puts him in” “you felt your glory tarnished by an aging, oriental wife” J. should have persuaded M. Jason “has nothing to do with women” generous motives compare arguments: m offers straightforward evidence, fact-based - she argues the kreitton logos jason treats her arguments as a force to be reckoned with - posing danger to himself I’ll have to choose my words with no uncommon skill … if I am to sail .. through your lashing, dangerous tongue” his arguments are sophistically based, the weaker argument in every case dodges and spin - the attempt to adjust appearances not the facts yet her arguments take a surprising turn - they assume a masculine persona for her “come now, tell me frankly as if we two were friends” - the greek makes clear that she means male friends “were you not a coward it was your duty to convince me, not to go sneaking off to marry” - in an Athenian context, at least, he may divorce for any reason he likes. to form a more prestigious match perfectly acceptable for the audience, his arguments will have failed to convince, but her arguments will fail to fit - she argues like a greek man. yet she is a barbarian woman he fails to see how transparent his dodge is she, how unconventionally she must come across CLA77, Andrew Scholtz