medea Flashcards
Jason to Medea / during Agon ‘I have shown wisdom, yes, and prudence, and further that I have acted like a true friend to you and to my children.’
- J = lack of love + affection to M & children
- Claims his new marriage will raise his sons’ fortunes
- Lack of concern at parting w/ family
- Boasts about clever decisions
Jason to Medea / during Agon
‘It seems I must prove myself a capable speaker indeed, my lady, and, like a seasoned helmsman, I must trim the edges of my sail to run before the tempest of your noisy protestations…”
*Seasoned = experienced/ helmsman = captain of a ship * J = seeking royal oikos
* J feels safe & secure even though he’s broken oath
* J = ‘seasoned helmsmen’ calm, rational + capable of controlling tides of M’s emotions
*M’s ‘noisy protestations’ make her seem unreasonable + childish/ implies women are ruled by their emotions
Jason to Medea / during Agon ‘There should be some other means for mankind to reproduce itself, without the need for the female sex; this would rid the world of all its troubles.’
- reveals that patriarchy would support removing most basic aspect of femininity b/c annoyed that their power + control doesn’t extend to women’s bodies
*J holds women responsible for all problems in world / certain world would be better w/o women
demonstrates patriarchal arrogance b/c refuses to recognise own privilege + power
Jason’s assertion:
Chorus: ‘What men expect does not happen; for the unexpected heaven finds a way.’
What men expect does not happen = mortals lives can be changed easily.
Unexpected heaven finds a way = the gods are in control of everything + mortals cannot predict what they will do or who they favour
Key idea: humans need to respect the power of the gods b/c if they don’t it can cause chaos.
‘And so there is one small kindness I ask of you, if I devise some way of making my husband pay for this suffering of mine: your silence.’
Chorus: ‘I will do as you ask, Medea; it is just that you should take revenge upon your husband
-Chorus endorse M’s quest for revenge b/c they share her feelings of social exclusion and oppression within patriarchal society
‘All this I have done for you and yet you have betrayed me, you unfeeling monster’
M to Aegeus
‘He says he objects, but he is prepared to tolerate it.’
-J’s lack of feeling + empathy combined with willingness t ‘tolerate’ his sons’ exile justifies M’s anger
-Too little feeling for others -> great harm.
Quote: The messenger describes Creon’s death:
‘he tore the withered flesh from his own bones.’
-M’s sorcery physically devours C’s body/reinforces her animalistic capacity for violence’
Quote: Nurse ab Medea
‘It’s clear this anger will grow’ soon enough her grief like a gathering cloud will be kindled by it and burst into storm’
-Simile suggest violent release of anger and grief is inevitable
-‘Storm’ shows gathering momentum + v. ‘burst’ shows violence, instability inevitably -> danger
