Lecture notes and reading notes
on EuripidesÕ Medea
I. References
A.
The myth ancient and modern
B. FilicideÑspouse revenge
2. ResnickÕs final filicide motivation is
"spouse revenge." This category includes cases in which parents kill
their children to make their spouse suffer, most often in revenge for
infidelity.
3.
Charles
Segal: ÒIn her first speech Medea wins over the chorus by a plea to solidarity
in the face of women's victimization by a male-dominated society, and this
response by the chorus is an essential step in the poet's paradoxical task of
winning sympathy and understanding for a mother who kills her children.Ó
C.
ClassicNotes, by Eddie Borey 2001
II. Relation to
Odyssey
A.
KleosÑmale vs. female
B.
Home vs. Exile
C.
Mentis=guile or cleverness
D.
Betrayal vs. loyalty in marriage [Klytaimnestra vs. Penelope]
E.
Revenge
III. Relation to Antigone
A.
Tragic Love
1.
Antigone
a)
Loving characters commit suicide in despair, victimized by the
egomaniacs
b)
Love as irresistible forceÑin tragedy love doesnÕt redeem but
doomsÑnot ladder but trap *880-895
(p. 679)
c)
Lover and beloved: Antigone is loved but doesnÕt love anyone except
the dead and herself
2.
Medea
a)
Love is diseased 16 (p. 695)
b)
Everyone loves himself more than his neighborÑthe Tutor 86 p.
697
c)
Jason: *The love question upset youÉyou womenÉif your life at
night is good, you think you have everything, but if in that quarter things go
wrong, you will consider your best and truest interests most hateful.
d)
Love in excess brings no honorÉnever let the poison of
desire 621 (p. 708)
e)
Honor what is peaceful in the bed
f)
Parental love? Filicide
B.
Women
1.
Antigone
a)
Creon is misogynist, but gets comeuppance; no one else
is. But Ismene vs. Antigone expose
status of women
b)
Ismene
(1)
donÕt override, be sensible, we are women, not born to contend
with men, I have no choice, beg the dead to forgive me, madness to rush to extremes
(2)
YouÕre in love with impossibililty 105
(3)
Ismene: you are truly dear to the ones who love you
2.
Medea
a)
We women are most unfortunate creatures 225-264 (p.700)
(1)
We have to pay for a master for our bodies, because not to is
worse
(2)
No easy escape, no saying no, she has to go to a strange
place, needs prophetic powed to manage her husband
(3)
Its great if that works
(4)
Man can get out and be with friends; we need to stay at home
alone
(5)
IÕd rather fight than bear children
(6)
I Ôm worse off because IÕm alone in this country
b)
Chorus 1: 408-434* (p.703) : getting back at men in general;
they agree with her; turning the tables
c)
ÒCease you muses of the ancient singers/to tell the tale of my
unfaithfulnessÓ414 cf. Nurse at
200 rejecting the poets
d)
Chorus: I have come upon questionings great than a woman
should strive to search out 1058
(1)
We too have a goddess to help us and accompany us to wisdom
e)
Kreon
(1)
IÕm afraid of youÉyou are a clever woman and angryÉI hear you
are threateningÉI shall take precautions first [imprudent]
C.
Fame and glory
1.
Antigone
a)
Give me glory.
What greater glory could I win
561
2.
MedeaÑDo you think IÕd have fawned on him without something to
gainÑsheÕs proud in front of chorus
a)
[Is this male behavior?
What if this was Odysseus and Penelope?Ñproud of deception]
b)
schemes in front of themÑIÕll kill Creon, Jason and JasonÕs
bride Òin craft and silenceÓ
(1)
why in front of the chorus?
c)
SheÕll preserve her honor; get revenge; never be mocked
d)
Boasts of revenge
e)
Women are helpless in doing good deeds but Òare of evil the
cleverest of contrivers.Ó [Outsiders,
like Iago, Edmund, Aaron the Moor, Richard III]
f)
*Òlet no one
think me a weak one, stay at home,
but rather just the opposite one who can hurt my enemies and help my friends
for the lives of such perosns are most rememberedÓ 791-4 [kleos]
3.
Chorus 3
a)
*DonÕt do itÑhow cany holy Athens accept you? Where will you find the courage or the
skill of hand and heart? 832 You wont
be able to. [ItÕs a challenge, not
intervening or outraged]
D.
The godsÑorder
1.
Antigone
a)
They punish pride and hybris, every body learns humility;
their order is just; they impose limits, rules, law
b)
Chorus 2 The
greatness of man; the dangers of greatness *377-415, *590-637
(1)
Wonders walk the world but none the match for manÑcrossing the
sea, crashing through breakers in winter, holding steady course, wearing away
the oldest of the gods, the Earth, with his plow [domination of sea and earth],
snares the birds, takes savage beasts, and fishÑman the skilled the
brilliantÑhe conquers all. Speech
and thought, quick as the wind, mood and mind for law that rules the city; he
taught it all himself; and shelter, ready, resourceful man, never an impasse as
he marches on the future, only from Death he will find no rescue, escapes from
plagues.
(2)
He forges on, now to destruction, now again to greatness. The MORAL: when he weaves in the laws
of the land and the justice of the godsÉhe and his city rise high, but the city
casts out , that man who weds himself to inhumanity thanks to reckless daring.
(3)
They recognize Òdark sign from the godsÓ416
2. Medea
a) Deus ex machinaÑspecial favor from grandfather
b)
Many things the gods achieve beyond our judgment. What we thought is not confirmed and
what we thought not god contrives 1394 (p.725)
c)
ÒIn Medea that [male] order is exposed as hypocritical and spineless, and in the
character of Medea, we see who a woman whose suffering, instead of ennobling
her, has made her monstrousÓ
IV.
New themes
A.
Rage, hate and revengeÑcf. Anger of achillesÑreverse process
in Iliad
1.
Hatred between spouses
a)
*ÒIt is a strange
form of anger, difficult to cure/when two friends turn upon each other in
hatredÓ 509 (p. 706)
2.
How did they die You will delight me twice as much again if
you say they died in agony 1107 (p. 718)
3.
Stronger than my afterthoughts is my fury 1053 (p.717)
B.
Children and generationÑcf. Bible, the blessing; also Symposium
1.
Jason:
a)
It would have been better far for men to have got their children
in some other way and women not to have existed. Then life would have been good. 563 (p. 707)
b)
Sees children as means for improving his status and security
in the state
c)
Both claim against the other, they loved the childrenÑneither did 1371 (p.724)
d)
He wants to kiss and touch the boyÕs delicate flesh 1378 Ð
like Medea earlier
e)
He wishes he had never begot them to see them slaughter
2.
Medea
a)
For my childrenÕs reprieve I would give my very lifeÉgo
childrenÉbeg her not to let you be banished and give her the dress
b)
false regard for childrenÑshe doesnÕt care
c)
tells chorus sheÕs going to kill her children and works
herself up to it; Òtake the sword and do not be a cowardÓ 1220 [irony]ÑO I am an unhappy womanÑpities
herself as she revs up to filicide
d)
Addresses children: tells them how she will miss their care of
her in her old age; that she wont be repaid for her pains in bearing them
1005 They smile
e)
She renounces her plans and then renounces her renunciation:
ÒDo I want to let go my enemies
unhurt and be laughed at for
it?Ó1024 [her pride in reputation] and vacillates again: have pity upon the
children/No by hells avenging fury it shall not beÉevery way it is fixed
f)
Kisses the children 1041-3 (p.717) How delicate the skin, how sweet the breath of childrenÉGo,
go, I am overcome by sorrow
3.
JasonÕs bride
a)
hated seeing
MedeaÕs children; Jason asked her to ask father to reprieve; When she saw the
dress she couldnÕt restrain herself; She agreed and then put it on and admired
herself in it 1117-1140 (p.719)
4.
Chorus 5**Parenthood is questionableÉ1064-1089 (p. 717-18)
a)
The childless, who never discover/whether children turn out as
a good thin/or as something to cause pain are spared/many troubles in lacking
this knowledge
(1)
Think of a child whoÕs been a problem since age two, one who got worse in
adolescence and doesnÕt get better by late 20Õs Ð into drugs, bad relationships,
cant support themselves, gets kicked out of places you rent for themÉ.
b)
Those who have in their homes the sweet presence of
childrenÉare all wasted away by their worries 1074
c)
Even if they turn out good, death will away with your
childrenÕs bodiesÉthis most terrible grief of all 1088 NB
(1)
The good child turning 32Ñin the prime, but showing signs of
age ÉWhat will it be like when he turns 40 or 50ÑPlatoÕs grand idea of regeneration and immortality itself
getting old
d)
Contrast this to MedeaÕs egocentric idea of having children to
take care of you in old age
e)
ChildÕs point of view: [what must it be like to be MedeaÕs
childrenÑÒall about herÓÑand JasonÕsÑan ass]
5.
Chorus 6
1235-1255 (p. 721)
a)
Prayer to sun to hold her back
b)
Crying of children heard
c)
Shall I enter the house? O surely I should defend the children
from murder
d)
More crying of children
e)
They talk about another case of fillicide but do nothing
f)
Charles
SegalÑÒÉEuripides interrupts the chorus's song by the children's offstage cry
at the moment of their murder, and also intertwines the chorus's singing with
their cries at the moment of their death.
By establishing the bond of oppressed womanhood with the chorus in her
first speech, Medea had detached it from a possible protective role toward the
children; but the fifth stasimon
forces the
chorus into a shockingly direct contact with the crime that it had reluctantly
abetted (see 811-18).
V. Discussion
questions
A.
Which incident, speech or character did you find most
disgusting?
B.
Medea is successful in every encounterÑwhy?
VI.
Passages to read
A.
Kreon and Medea: 259-363
B.
Aegeus and Medea: 647-744
C.
Jason and Medea: 843-951
VII. Reading
notes
A.
Episode 1: Nurse, Tutor and Chorus
1.
Nurse
a)
Love is diseased; regret for MedeaÕs coming here
b)
Jason has betrayed her; violated eternal promises and deserted
wife and children
c)
Male abandonment of family
d)
Poor creatureÉher heart is violentÉsheÕs a strange woman
e)
The children have no thought of motherÕs trouble
2.
ChildrenÕs Tutor and Nurse gossip
a)
Kreon is planning to send her and children into exile
b)
Do you hear children, what a father he is to you [not sparing
children] 82
c)
Everyone loves himself more than his neighbor 86
d)
Spare the childrenÉkeep away from her, sheÕs dangerous
3.
Medea (offstage)
a)
I wish, I wish I might dieÉI hate you, children of a hateful
mother. I curse you and your
father. Let the whole house
crash [total negativity]
b)
I would find my release in death
c)
I pray I may see him and his bride shattered
4.
Nurse
a)
Why do you hate childrenÉGreat peopleÕs tempers are
terribleÉgreatness brings no profit
127
5.
Chorus
a)
It often happens. DonÕt be hurt 155
b)
I wish she might relax her rage
6.
Nurse
a)
Why didnÕt poets write songs to cure grief instead of provide
pleasure at banquets where its not needed. 200
B.
Episode 2: Medea Chorus and Kreon
1.
Medea enters
a)
Sounds reasonable now
b)
We women are most unfortunate creatures
(1)
We have to pay for a master for our bodies, because not to is
worse
(2)
No easy escape, no saying no, she has to go to a strange
place, needs prophetic power to manage her husband
(3)
Its great if that works
(4)
Man can get out and be with friends; we need to stay at home
alone
(5)
IÕd rather fight than bear children [cf. NYTimes series]
(6)
I Ôm worse off because IÕm alone in this country
c)
When wronged in love, women are bloody; DonÕt give away my
secret schemes
2.
Kreon
a)
leave the country now
3.
Medea
a)
Yet still in spite of all IÕll ask the question, why
4.
Kreon
a)
IÕm afraid of youÉyou are a clever woman and angryÉI hear you
are threateningÉI shall take precautions first [Bozo]
5.
Medea
a)
IÕm often envied for clevernessÉI will not raise my voice but
submit to my betters. 312ÑSheÕs
lying
b)
give me only an extra day ÒIt is the children being in trouble that I mindÓ --another
lie 343
6.
Kreon relents: ÒEven now I know that I am making a mistakeÓ
[Bozo 2]
7.
Chorus: O unfortunate one
8.
MedeaÑDo you think IÕd have fawned on him without something to
gainÑsheÕs proud in front of chorus
a)
[Is this male behavior?
What if this was Odysseus and Penelope?Ñproud of deception]
b)
schemes in front of themÑIÕll kill Creon, Jason and
Creusa Òin craft and silenceÓ
(1)
why in front of the chorus?
c)
SheÕll preserve her honor; get revenge; never be mocked
d)
Boasts of revenge
e)
Women are helpless in doing good deeds but Òare of evil the
cleverest of contrivers.Ó Cf.
Iago, Edmund, Aaron the Moor, Richard III
C.
Chorus 1: 408-434*: getting back at men in general; they agree
with her; turning the tables
1.
ÒCease you muses of the ancient singers/to tell the tale of my
unfaithfulnessÓ414 cf. Nurse at
200 rejecting the poets
D.
Episode 3: Jason, Medea, Chorus
1.
Jason Ð more male weakness
a)
With reasonable submission to our rulerÕs will, you might have
lived in this land
b)
Consider yourself luckyÉI have come to make some provision for
you
c)
Even if you hate me I cannot think badly of you
2.
Medea
a)
Your overconfidence: Coward, lack of manliness,
shamelessness [good retort]
b)
But I can speak ill of you and lighten my heart and you will
suffer
c)
I saved your life, I killed my brother to give you safety, É
killed Pelias to take away your fear
d)
You clasped my knees in supplication
e)
You creep
3.
Chorus
a)
*ÒIt is a strange
form of anger, difficult to cure/when two friends turn upon each other in
hatredÓ 509
b)
rendering of divorce
4.
Jason
a)
IÕll be the oratorÑyou started itÉ There is your reply
b)
It was loveÕs inescapable power that compelled you to keep my
person safeÉyou have gotten more from me than you gave
c)
instead of living among barbarians, you inhabit a greek land
(!)
d)
You got the gloryÑkleosÑof being a clever woman[cf. Kreon] 530
e)
Wedding with the princessÑa clever move, a wise one, I made it
in your best interests and the childrens.
[would this inspire murder and worse?]
(1)
I was not tired of your bed
(2)
my children with her would draw the families together
f)
*The love question upset youÉyou womenÉif your life at night
is good, you think you have everything, but if in that quarter things go wrong,
you will consider your best and truest interests most hateful.
g)
It would have been better far for men to have got their children
in some other way and women not to have existed. Then life would have been good. 563
5.
Chorus wont buy it
6.
Medea
a)
Mocks his oratory: Òthe plausible speaker/who is a villain
deserves the greatest punishmentÓ
[look whoÕs talkingÓ
b)
YouÕre a coward; you married behind my back, invalidating all
these reasons
7.
Jason
a)
DonÕt be a fool; accept my money and contacts abroad
8.
Medea
a)
I shall never take a thing from you
E.
Chorus 2
1.
Love in excess brings no honorÉnever let the poison of
desire 621
2.
Honor what is peaceful in the bed
3.
Poor Medea who is exiled
F.
Episode 4: Aegeus, Medea, Chorus
1.
He greets her as a friend and equalÑjolly fellow
2.
He wants children and is married
3.
ÒSure what is needed is clevernessÓ to interpret the oracleÕs
word
4.
He is not to loosenthe hanging foot of the wine-skin 663
5.
She finishes the oracle, indicating her intelligence, and also
the message which is keep chaste till youÕre with your wifeÑ666
6.
But he doesnÕt understand that she has figured it out and she
doesnÕt tell himÑanother triumph over a manÑand he blithely says heÕll seek the
answer from king of Troezen
7.
She gets him to ask and tells him her woes; he sympathizes completely
8.
She promises to provide drugs that will bring him children
9.
He agrees to provide her with refuge, Òfirst for the sake of
the gods and then for the birth of childrenÓ 705, but not to incur Corinthian
wrath by taking her away
10.
She convinces him to say oath heÕll do so under any
circumstances, and convinces himself that will provide him with future excuse
11.
M. is exultant and tells chorus her plan which is to use
children to play on JasonÕs guilt and have them bring the poisoned robe to his
wife and then to kill their children to ruin the whole of JasonÕs houseÉ
12.
*Òlet no one
think me a weak one, stay at home,
but rather just the opposite one who can hurt my enemies and help my friends
for the lives of such perosns are most rememberedÓ 791-4 [kleos]
13.
Chorus tries to argue her out of itÑÒOf women you will be most
unhappyÓ She accepts that price
802
14.
Nurse participates in her plot
G.
Chorus 3
1.
*DonÕt do itÑhow cany holy Athens accept you? Where will you find the courage or the
skill of hand and heart? 832 You wont
be able to. [ItÕs a challenge, not
intervening or outraged]
H.
Episode 5: Jason, Medea, Chorus
1.
Jason responds to her request; says he will listen
2.
She falsely apologizesÑtakes all blame on herself; tells him
exactly what he wants to hear: ÒWhat is wrong with me? Let me give up anger,
for the gods are kind to meÉI think that you are wise in having this other
wifeÉI should have helped youÉtaken pleasure in attendance on your brideÉwe
women are what we areÑperhaps a little worthless 866
3.
Uses childrenÑsheds tearsÑthe chorus does not reveal her plan
to Jason, or do anything to save her children
4.
Jason is pleasedÑyou have come to the right decision like the
clever woman you are. Children
will succeed under his influence
5.
M: I know this is the best thing, not to be in your way by
living here
6.
She convinces him to get new wife to beg the king for
permission to let the children be reprieved from banishment [she wants to get
rid of children]
7.
SheÕll send wedding gifts to JasonÕs bride with the children
[she allies herself with Jason in agreement to sway JasonÕs bride]
8.
Jason blindly says no, ÒIf my wife considers me of any value she will think more of me
than money 938 sure that Medea wants to send gold dress to make wife love him
more
9.
For my childrenÕs reprieve I would give my very lifeÉgo
childrenÉbeg her not to let you be banished and give her the dress [evil]
I.
Chorus 4
1.
No hope left for childrenÕs livesÉbride poor brideÉwretched
bridegroomÉpoor soulÉin your grief I weep too, mother of little children
J.
Episode 6: Medea,
chorus, children [silent]
1.
Tutor returns with news that children are reprieved; dress
delivered; Medea turns and weeps as her scheme succeedsÑI am lost 984
2.
Addresses children: tells them how she will miss their care of
her in her old age; that she wont be repaid for her pains in bearing them
1005 They smile
3.
She renounces her plans and then renounces her renunciation:
ÒDo I want to let go my enemies unhurt and be laughed at for it?Ó1024 [her pride in reputation]
and vacillates again: have pity upon the children/No by hells avenging fury it
shall not beÉevery way it is fixed
4.
Kisses the children [yech] How delicate the skin, how sweet the breath of childrenÉGo,
go, I am overcome by sorrow [sick]
5.
Stronger than my afterthoughts is my fury 1053
K.
Chorus 5*
1.
I have come upon questionings great than a woman should strive
to search out 1058
2.
We too have a goddess to help us and accompany us to wisdom
[wisdom is sad]
3.
**Parenthood is questionableÉ(!):
a)
The childless, who never discover/whether children turn out as
a good thin/or as something to cause pain are spared/many troubles in lacking
this knowledge
(1)
Think of a child whoÕs been a problem since age two, one who
got worse in adolescence and doesnÕt get better by late 20Õs Ð into drugs, bad
relationships, can support themselves, gets kicked out of places you rent for
themÉ.
b)
Those who have in their homes the sweet presence of
childrenÉare all wasted away by their worries 1074
c)
Even if they turn out good, death will away with your
childrenÕs bodiesÉthis most terrible grief of all 1088 NB
(1)
The good child turning 32Ñin the prime, but showing signs of
age ÉWhat will it be like when he turns 40 or 50ÑPlatoÕs grand idea of regeneration and immortality itself
getting old
d)
Contrast this to MedeaÕs egocentric idea of having children to
take care of you in old age
e)
ChildÕs point of view: [what must it be like to be MedeaÕs
childrenÑÒall about herÓÑand JasonÕsÑan ass]
L.
Episode 7: Messenger, Medea, Chorus
1.
How did they die You will delight me twice as much again if
you say they died in agony 1107
2.
He tells story in detailÑto please her?
a)
Servants were pleased by appearance of reconciliation
b)
JasonÕs bride hated seeing MedeaÕs children
c)
Jason asked her to ask father to reprieve
d)
When she saw the dress she couldnÕt restrain herself
e)
She agreed and then put it on and admired herself in it
f)
A gory, detailed horrendous description of her pain
g)
Ends speech with Òof mortals there is no one that is happyÓ
3.
Chorus says Jason deserved it but pities JasonÕs bride
4.
Medea tells chorus sheÕs going to kill her children and works
herself up to it; Òtake the sword and do not be a cowardÓ 1220 [irony]ÑO I am an unhappy womanÑpities
herself as she revs up to filicide
M.
Chorus 6
1.
Prayer to sun to hold her back
2.
Crying of children heard
3.
Shall I enter the house? O surely I should defend the children
from murder
4.
More crying of children
5.
They talk about another case of fillicide but do nothing
N.
Episode 8 Jason
and Chorus and Medea
1.
Jason comes to spare life of his boys from vengeance coming to
Medea 1276
2.
[he doesnÕt seem to mourn new wifeÕs deathÑshe was only path
to power and money]
3.
Chorus tells him, with some satisfaction, that his children
are dead 1284
4.
Doors open, Medea appears above house in chariot drawn by
dragons with dead bodies of childrenÑHelios, her grandfather has provided her
with chariot [disgusting god]
5.
Jason suddenly realizes sheÕs been a monster all along
6.
Jason says she feels the pain too
7.
Revenge: grief is gain when you cannot mock it 1337
8.
Mutual hatred expressed
9.
She wont give him bodies to bury but will bury them and will
establish a holy feast and sacrice to atone for the blood guilt
10.
You will die without distinction, struck on the head by a
timber
11.
Both claim against the other, they loved the childrenÑneither did 1371
12.
He wants to kiss and touch the boyÕs delicate flesh
13.
He wishes he had never begot them to see them slaughter
O.
Chorus 7
1.
Many things the gods achieve beyond our judgment. What we thought is not confirmed and
what we thought not god contrives 1394
