Greek Drama - Medea

Prologue - The Back Story

• Jason as Greek hero
  • Golden fleece
  • Beast - the test
• Medea as exotic princess
  • Ruled by passion
  • Secretive and and hidden...Magic
• A synergistic relationship

Episodes Outline

• Prologue - Background
• First Episode - Medea's Version
  • She explains her complaints both specifically and generically
  • Creon gets out maneuvered
• Second Episode - Jason's Version
  • He confronts her with his frustrations
  • A plan gone wrong
• Third Episode - King Aegeus Provides Cover
  • King of Athens passes through provides an opportunity
  • Childless and vulnerable
• Forth Episode - The Deception
  • Her plan unfolds carefully beginning with a deception
  • Putting your adversary off guard
• Fifth Episode - The Dilemma
  • A self-aware Medea comes to term with what she is planning
  • Doubt then resolve
• Sixth Episode - The Execution
  • Violent but off stage
  • Greek drama focuses on implications of the violence not the violence itself
• Seventh Episode - Revenge
  • The apex of the drama
  • She rejoices in the pain of her adversary
• Exodus - The God's Surprise
  • Points us forward with the "tomorrow" of the story
  • An ending that is not suspected

Euripides' Medea - Discussion themes

• Medea's version of events
  • Jason abandons her for another woman
  • "Woman are the worst treated creatures alive..."
    • Divorce
    • Arranged marriages based on dowry
    • Childbirth
• Jason's version of events
  • A perfect plan ruined
  • a stereotypical fight
• Overt vs. Covert elements
  • Contrasts of male vs female
  • Hellenic context - male's world is public and overt... female the inverse
  • Overt power Vs covert power
• The cultural significance of oaths
• Racial clashes - Greeks Vs Persians

Humanities Resource of Mark Hunter