Medea Background Notes

Modes of persuasion

Over 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that there were three basic ways to persuade an audience of your position: ethos, logos, and pathos (Jason and Medea use these)

I. Origin of Tragedy

A. Religious festivals in the spring to honor Dionysus

Dionysus (Bacchus),

god of wine and revelry

B. Thespis, “Father of Drama” (thespians)1. introduced the first actor and dialogue2. The three great tragedians: Aeschylus

(525-456BC), Sophocles (496-406BC), and Euripides (480-406BC)

C. Sophocles1. added third actor2. fixed number of the Chorus to 153. introduced painted scenery4. made each play of a trilogy separate in

nature (each play could stand alone)Oedipus RexOedipus on ColunusAntigone

II. Structure of Theatre

A. theatron: “seeing” place where the audience sat

B. orchestra: circular dancing place where actors and Chorus performed

C. thymele: altar to Dionysus in center of the orchestra

D. skene: building used as dressing roomE. proskenion: façade of skene building

which served as backdrop

Greek Theatre

Play structure Prologue: monologue or scene presented before the Chorus enters and the action of the play begins. Informs the audience of the play’s setting and important past events.

Parados: first entrance of the Chorus Episode: Scene in the play Stasimon: Choral commentary that follows

a scene Kommos: song in which the Chorus

interacts directly with the characters Exodos: action takes place after the final

stasimon and serves as conclusion.

III. Actors and ActingA. The playwright took the leading roleB. All male performers (played female roles

too)C. Never more than 3 actors (changed

characters)1. protagonist, deuteragonist, tritagonist

D. Costumes and Masks1. long, flowing robes (colored symbolically)2. high boots with raised soles3. large masks made of wood, linen, cork

a. identified age, gender, emotionb. exaggerated features (eyes, open mouth)

IV. The ChorusA. Music and Dance

1. music: flute, lyre, drums2. dance: expressive rhythmic movements

B. Function of the Chorus1. sets overall mood and expresses theme2. adds beauty through song and dance3. gives background information4. divides action and offers reflection on

events5. questions, advises, expresses opinion

(usually through Chorus leader)

V. Conventions of Greek Theatre

A. Aristotle’s Unities1. action (simple plot)2. time (single day)3. place (one scene throughout)

B. The Messenger (sentry)1. tells news happening away from the scene2. reports acts of violence not allowed to be seen

C. Limitations of the Theatre1. the Chorus is constantly on the stage2. no intermission3. no lighting, no curtains

BBC MEDEA

VI. Important Terms

1. tragedy: Drama written in which a noble protagonist falls to ruin during a struggle caused by a flaw in their character.

2. tragic hero: a character, usually of noble birth, neither totally good nor totally evil, whose downfall is brought about by some weakness and error in judgment (a tragic flaw)

3. hamartia: a tragic flaw, weakness of character or error in judgment which causes the downfall of the hero (tragic flaw)

4. hubris: the tragic flaw of pride

5. catharsis: the “purging” or release of emotions the audience feels

6. deus ex machina: a person or god that intervenes in the action

The Tragic FigureAll tragedies focus on a tragic figure:

a person who is moral and good.The character suffers from a tragic

flaw, or hamartia, which leads to their downfall

Tragic figures are ignorant of tragic flaw

VII. Euripides' Contribution to Drama

Along with Sophocles and Aeschylus, Euripides (484-406 B.C.) was one of the three greatest writers of tragedy in ancient Greece. He wrote more than ninety plays, but only nineteen survive. 

depicted gods unfavorably and even questioned the existence of the traditional gods of Homeric myths.

key contribution to—was that he developed characters whose downfall results from their own

Euripides was a close friend of Socrates,

Euripides

Euripides represented the new moral, social, and political movements that were taking place in Athens towards the end of the 5th century BC.

It was a period of enormous intellectual discovery, in which "wisdom" ranked as the highest earthly accomplishment.

Euripides

Lego youtubeJason and medea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL75b-28pJ4

The play Medea, first performed in 431 B.C., was based on the mythical accounts of Medea, the sorceress, who helped Jason in his search of the Golden Fleece and who, for Jason's love, betrayed her family and fatherland, but was herself finally betrayed by her husband.

http://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/video_jason_storyteller.html?playertype=quicktime;speed=lo;mediatype=video;media=%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fjason_storyteller_lo.rm%2C

%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fjason_storyteller_hi.rm%2C%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fjason_storyteller_lo.mov%2C%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fjason_storyteller_hi.mov;playertemplate=%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fvideotemplate.html;title=

%27The%20Argonautica%27%2C%20Valcrius%20Flaccus%20and%20%91The%20Argonautica%92%20Apollonius%20of%20Rhodes;widescreen=true;basepath=%2Fmythsandheroes%2Fvideo_jason_storyteller.html;prefchange=1

Who Is Jason?

Jason is the Greek legendary hero best known for his leadership of the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece and for his wife Medea.

Corinth

Jason born

Golden fleece

Medea banished

Athens

The Argonauts in Greek mythology are the people who sailed on the ship called the Argo, builder, Argus. The crew were named for the boat plus a word for sailors (naut-) -- Argonauts.

Medea: Character Profile

Sorceress Priestess of Hecate,

goddess of underworld

Niece of Circe Granddaughter of

sun god Helios Woman of great

passion

Jason's father was Aison (Aeson). His mother was Polymede. Aison was the oldest son of winds ruler Aeolus’ son Cretheus, and should have been king of Icolchus , but Pelias Cretheus' stepson was king. Fearing for their son after Pelias usurped the throne, Jason's parents pretended their baby had died at birth. They sent him to the wise centaur Chiron to be raised. Chiron may have named the boy Jason (Iason).

Why Did Pelias Assign Jason the Task of Fetching the Golden Fleece?:

The explanations for why Jason was sent revolve around the issue of Pelias' occupying a throne for which Jason thought his side of the family had a better claim.The simplest explanation is that the fleece was the price of becoming king. Pelias could keep the herds and land, but the throne would go to the direct line of Cretheus after Jason brought back the golden fleece.The more popular story is that Pelias, having told the one-sandaled stranger that his death at the hand of a fellow-citizen had been foretold, asked Jason what he would do. Jason said to send him for the fleece. So Pelias ordered Jason to do so.

Jason Marries Medea:On the return voyage of the Argonauts,

they stopped at the island of the Phaeacians, ruled by King Alcinoos and his wife Arete (featured in The Odyssey). Their pursuers from Colchis arrived at about the same time and demanded the return of Medea. Alcinoos agreed to the Colchians' demand, but only if Medea weren't already married. Arete secretly arranged the marriage between Jason and Medea, with Hera's blessings.

Jason and Fleece

Student made

Jason decides to repudiate Medea and marry the Corinthian king Creon's daughter, Glauce. Medea doesn't accept this change in status gracefully, but arranges the death of the king's daughter by poison gown, and then kills the 2 children she has borne Jason.

How does Medea help Jason?

Aphrodite sent Cupid to make Medea fall in love with Jason

Medea was a powerful magician and could save the Argonauts

The Colchis princess, Medea, immediately fell in love with Jason.

Jason thought of Medea, who could help him get the golden fleece.

Medea agreed to help Jason by giving him a charm.

All of the action takes place at the house of Jason and Medea in

Corinth, Greece. Corinth is in southern Greece in the extreme

northeastern part of a large peninsula known as the

Peloponnesus, Peloponnese.

Setting

Characters

Protagonist: Medea

Antagonists: Jason, Medea's Powerful Emotions

Medea: Sorceress with wondrous powers who falls desperately in love with Jason after he arrives in Colchis, on the Black Sea, in quest of the fabled Golden Fleece, a coat of golden wool sheared from a ram. She is the daughter of the King of Aea in Colchis and granddaughter of the sun god, Helios. Jason: Heroic but selfish and ambitious son of Aeson, King of Iolchos in Thessaly, Greece. Renowned for his bravery in retrieving the Golden Fleece, he seeks to capitalize on his fame by pledging to marry Glauce, the daughter of Creon, King of Corinth, even though he has already been married for several years to Medea and fathered two sons.

Themes

Revenge .......After Jason rejects Medea

for Princess Glauce, Medea's thirst for venegeance rules her, overcoming all of her other

Oppression of Women .......Men treat women as

mere objects Human Conduct and

Destiny .......Human beings—not fate,

not the gods, not bad luck—are the authors of their own misfortunes.

Love between parents and children

.......Jason loves his children. Medea uses them against Jason. Creon loves Glauce.

Barbarism /Foreigners.......Civilized Greece can be

just as barbaric as uncivilized Colchis. The Corinthians regard Medea as crude and uncivilized

Blind Passion

.......Medea's love for Jason is all consuming. So is her hatred for him after he abandons her.

IRONY: Medea is a powerful

sorceress, capable of working wondrous magic. Yet her

magic is powerless against Jason's infidelity and

maltreatment of her. In desperation she resorts to the unspeakable crime of

murdering her own children.

The chorus of Corinthian women sympathizes with Medea throughout the play, in large part because they well know that Medea is right when she says that Greek males treat Greek females unjustly. However, these women time and again express horror at Medea's plan to kill her children, for they realize that Medea is going too far. Nevertheless, they remain silent—in compliance with Medea's expressed wish—when she announces her plan to kill the children and later carries it out. It is hard to believe that this chorus of women would look the other way under these circumstances.

Women in Ancient Greece

No rights Oppressed due to

gender discrimination Unable to leave home

or participate in public life

Biggest contribution is having male heirs to serve in military or civil service

Girls, married as young as 11

Men, late twenties, early 30s

Arranged marriages Prohibited from

leaving house Common for men to

cheat on wives Divorce did exist. Easy

for men, NOT women!

Remember your mythology?

Why was a proper burial so important to the Greeks?

You need to get to Hades!Once a person has died, s/he must pay the

ferryman, Charon, to take him/her across the River Styx to the Underworld. Otherwise, the soul will not be able to rest.

Michelangelo’s

Last Judgment

After the Play

Medea marries, has son with Aegeus Tries to poison Aegeus’ first son Theseus (fails; is

banished) Goes back to Colchis, helps father get kingdom

back Eventually becomes immortal

Jason dies alone, in obscurity

Piece of his own ship falls on him

Medea a foreigner Jason reminds

Medea that he has done her a great favor by bringing her from her barbarian land of Colchis to Greece.

Jason doesn’t feel indebted to Medea for the Golden Fleece.

Doesn’t feel betrayal for marrying Glauce

Jason belittles Medea for being foreigner (savage behavior).

Uses foreign status to bring her esteem down.

Once abandoned, Medea has nowhere to go and no one to turn to.

Medea sad to be separated from homeland.

3 major ancient works you will study:

The Odyssey, written by Homer, in 800 BC

Medea, written by Euripides, in 431 BC

Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, written by Sophocles, in 429 BC

Quiz Thursday

One 3x5 notecard.Must have proper heading in upper

leftThis is the only type of notes you can

use.Any information from Monday –

Wednesday could be on quiz so be prepared.

Journal #8 (collecting)Teenagers make important decisions everyday. Provide a specific example of a decision you have had to make

recently and discuss how your personal morals affected that decision.

It originated in the following fashion. Phrixus and Helle were the children of Athamus and the goddess Nephele. When Athamas remarried, the children's stepmother, Ino, became jealous of them and plotted to get rid of them. She arranged to have seed-corn roasted so that it would not sprout. When the crop failed, messengers were sent to consult the oracle at Delphi, and Ino persuaded the ssengers to say that that the oracle required the sacrifice of Phrixus to restore fertility to the fields. Before Phrixus could be sacrificed, however, Nephele sent a golden ram which carried both children off through the air. Helle fell into the Hellespont (which was named after her), but Phrixus arrived safely at Colchis, where he married the daughter of King Aeetes. Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus, and gave its pelt (the Golden Fleece) to Aeetes. Aeetes placed the fleece in an oak tree, where it remained until Jason arrived to claim it.

Susan Smith

MotivationsDiscuss and list at least five