MEDEA Flashcards
The Nurse, softly spoken and tentative to M reveals that she “seeks to PLEASE HER HUSBAND IN ALL THAT SHE DOES”.
- women role in society = nurturing/ maternal/ supportive/ devoted to serving hb
- women suffer in the patriarchy ☞ disempowered
- E urges aud to symp w female char to understand the abuse they suffer at the hands of priv men
In a presumptuous statement during the heat of Agon, J reveals that “There should be other means for MANKIND TO REPRODUCE ITSELF, and without the need for the female sex ; this would RID THE WORLD OF ALL ITS TROUBLES. “
- cold and calculated patriarchy would support removing most basic aspect of felinity b/c annoyed that their power + control doesn’t extend to women’s bodies.
- hold women responsible as prob of world ☞demonstrates patriarchal arrogance b/c refuses to recognise own privilege and power
J, hubristic and emotionally detached from his family, boasts about his supposedly moderate acts of being “TRUE FRIEND TO {M} AND [HIS] CHILDREN. “
- j = disrespected the quality of sophrosyne and disrupted proper order ☞ chaos , unaware of the punishment which will culminate
- new marriage = ▲ sons fortunes / desperate desire to seek royal oikos
- E urges aud to recognise the social flaws
During Agon, J proclaims himself to be a “ SEASONED HELMSMAN” whom which runs before the tempest of Medeas “noisy protestations”
- men = naturally superfood for their reason logic (desirable trait) ☞ creates a marginalised society
- J = rational + capable of controlling tides of M’s emotions
- M = unreasonable + fragile/ implies women are ruled by their emotions
- j represents those who claim to value justice but in reality are vengeful & dishonest
Medea proclaims to low status WOC during ep 1 that “Of all creatures that have life and reason WE WOMEN ARE THE MOST MISERABLE OF SPECIMENS!”
- WOC = ▼ status/ creates images of dehumanisation and despair
- “miserable” ☞ presents women as the helpless property of cruel and powerful men
- women must forfeit their subordinate roles in order to take revenge bc they have X access to justice
Indulged with the wrestle of committing a barabic act of filicide ignited by her passion fuelled desire to gain revenge, M admits that “[she is] well aware how terrible a crime [she] am about to commit, but [her] PASSION IS THE MASTER OF [her] REASON”.
- feelings of rage override logic and mortality ☞ filicide
- desire to get revenge = stronger than her maternal ♡
- reality of her subordinate status allowed her to cultivate in terrible crimes bc X access to justice
As M reveals her plan to murder the children, the Chorus beg M ‘‘from a ♡ that WISHES [her] WELL […] DO NOT DO THIS THING.”
“WE BEG YOU NOT TO MURDER YOUR CHILDREN”
- chorus guide audience reaction + explicitly state E’s views that this punishment is disproportionate to J’s betrayal
- X endorsed by chorus bc ir dishonours the principle of sophrosyne causing ultimate chaos and disorder
The chorus, an example for E’s athenian male aud, express the dangers od disobeying the Gods through a simile which warns the aud that “uphill flows the water of sacred rivers: nature and all things are overturned.”
- in order to keep society civilised, need to respect power of the Gods, who do X hesitate to punish a life that does X live by the principle of sophrosyne
- offence against the gods cause tremendous upheaval for society
Stage directions during ep 4 imply that the gods approve of MS actions she “suddenly appears ABOVE THE STAGE in a CHARIOT DRAWN BY DRAGONS”
- helots rewards the qualities of passion. disorder and violent cruelty by prov M w a chariot to escape in
- allow M to take revenge bc C given access to justice
- M + J roles reversed / J overpowered by emotional suffering / M= powerful + hubristic
Chorus supportive of Ageus expressing he is worthy of admiration for his “NOBEL HEART”
- a values a society that seeks stability and order ☞ implies A won’t break oaths / opp to Creon and J
- A is deeply respectful of the Gods and won’t go against them
Creons final message to AG male aud depicts that for “WHAT MEN EXPECT DOES NOT HAPPEN; for the UNEXPECTED HEAVEN FINDS A WAY”
- key idea: humans need to respect the power of the gods b/c if they X it will cause chaos
- the gods are in control of everything + mortal X predict who they will favour
Describing creons death gruesome, the Messenger accentuates how Cr was forced to tare “THE WITHERED FLESH FROM HIS OWN BONES”
- M’s sorceryphysically devours C’s body / reinforces her animalistic capabilities
- cr once powerful + superior / now fragile and succumbing the pain caused by a women
humble and submissive, the Nurse cautions aud on Medea’s “GREIF GATHERING LIKE A CLOUD” warning them of which will disruptively “BURST INTO A STORM”
- simile suggests violent release of anger and grief is inevitable
- “storm” shows gathering momentum and verb “burst” shows violence, instability inevitably ☞ danger
endosring Ms quest for revenge, the chorus bolster support towards Medea confirming that it is “JUST [she] SHOULD TAKE REVENGE UPON [her] HUSBAND”
- Chr endorse b/c they share her feelings of social exclusion and oppression w in patriarchal society
- realities of marginalisation and subordination allow her to culminate in terrible crimes
Following J’s lack of feeling and empathy M exasperates her anger for all she has done for him and yet he ‘betrayed her’. describing J as an “UNFEELING MONSTER”
- J= numb/callous/ insensitive ☞ great harm
- j seeks prestigious pos where his logic= cold, calculated and unkind ☞ dangerous
