Medea by Eripides

|Final | New Vocabulary |References |Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 |Lesson 3 |Lesson 4 |Lesson 5 |Lesson 6 |Lesson 7 |Enrichment Activities |Ancient Greece Map |Ancient Troy Map |The Distance between Troy and Greece |Medea Essay Topics |

Lesson 1

Aim: What problems are revealed to the reader in the opening scene? What action is Medea going to take as implied on page 5 "Be it mine to reach old age, not in proud pomp, but in security!"?

Do Now:

Go online find the meanings of the following (myth web) references-

1. Argo
2. Golden Fleece
3. Pelias
4. Corinth

Journal writing-(HW#12)

• How do you define "revenge"? Is there such a thing as "appropriate revenge"?
• Where do we draw the line between revenge and crime?
• How much are we willing to give up for love?

Procedure:

1. In the first Nurse's speech, what did she tell  us what had happened to Medea?
2. How is Medea reacting to Jason's dishonor?
3. What did Medea do to her homeland and her father to join Jason?
4. What does the Nurse sense Medea's feelings towards her children? Why is she worried?
5. What news is broken to the Nurse from Jason's attendant ? Why is the news important to the development of the play?
6. Respond to " ...that every single man cares for himself more that for his neighbor, some from honest motives, others for mere gain's sake."
7. What does the metaphor mean "the cry is but the herald of the gathering storm-cloud whose lightening soon flash"?
8. What does the nurse mean when she chants, on page 5," Strange are the tempers of princes, and maybe because they seldom have to obey, and mostly lord it over others, change they their moods with difficulty"?
9. When the Chorus speaks, whose side does it take?
10. When Medea expresses her wish to die, what advice doe the chorus give to her?
11. What's the nurse's major concern?
12. Interpret " ...men of the old times ...devised their hymns for festive occasions... a pleasure to catch the year, shed over life, but no man hath found a way to allay hated grief by music and minstrels varied strain..."
13. Which goddess did Medea call for help to punish Jason, the perfidious spouse?
14. In Medea's long speech, use your own words to paraphrase the main ideas of the monologue( her comments on women in general, wives' situation at home to that of a husband). Also in this monologue how does Medea try to gain the sympathy of Corinthian ladies?
15. Interpret "For though woman could be timorous enough in all else, and regards courage, a coward at the mere sight of steel, yet in moment she finds her honor wronged, no heart is filled with deadlier thoughts than hers."

HW#13 Based on pages 1-7(after Medea's long speech), write a letter to Medea providing some advice to her problems as her friend. Or you can create a dialogue between you and Medea discussing the solution to her problem.

HW#14  Interpret  Medea's speech on page 7

• In the 1st paragraph, how did she describe men with pride(hubris)? How will men with hubris be received by other people?
• What disadvantages do women have in a marriage AS Medea described in her speech?
• How does Medea try to win Corinthian ladies to her side?

Respond to the sentence on page 8 also by Medea-

-" Wherefore whoso is wise in his generation ought never to have his children taught to be too clever; for besides the reputation they get for idleness, they purchase bitter odium from the citizens. For if thou shouldst import new learning amongst dullards, thou wilt be thought a useless trifler, void of knowledge; while if thy fame in the city o'ertops that of the pretenders to cunning knowledge, thou wilt win their dislike."

- ..."for cunning woman, and man likewise, is easier to guard against when quick-tempered than when taciturn."

Lesson 2

Aim: How does Medea get permission from Creon to stay in Corinth for another day? What does she plan to do ?

Do Now: Respond to Creon's speech," Mine is a nature anything but harsh; full oft by showing pity have suffered shipwreck" on page 11.

Procedure:

• What nature in Medea is revealed?
• What strategy did she use to try to persuade Jason to change his mind?
• Why does she say "... But come, I will deal with thee as though thou wert my friend..."?

HW#15

• Describe your first impression of Jason and explain why based on his opening speech on page 12 and the speech on page 14.
• How do you feel about Jason's remark," Now I believe, since you wilt exaggerate thy favors, that to Cypri, alone of gods or men I owe the safety of my voyage....that the Love-god constrained thee by his resistless shaft to save my life.... Yet for my safety has thou received more than ever thou gavest..."?
• How do you feel about Jason's defense of his marrying the princess of Corinth? Do you think he has the legitimate reasons to do so ? If not. why? Whose side do you take now? Jason's or Medea's ? Why?
• Explain and Respond to Jason's comments on women, "...Men should have begotten children from some other source, no female race exiting; thus would no evil ever have fallen on mankind."
• How do you feel about Medea's attempt to change Jason's mind as revealed in her long soliloquy on page 13.

Lesson 3

Aim: What's Jason's main argument for his marrying the princess based on his dialogue with Medea on pages 14-16?

Motivational Activity:

• Read the myth about Jason and answer :Why did he feel he needed to regain power?
• On Euripides
• Myth of Theseus- Aegeus' son, Medea's husband

Do Now: In your journal #4 describe what you think are the most important responsibilities for women and men respectively. Explain.

Procedure:

1. In your own words, explain the reasons Jason gave to Medea he needs to marry the princess.
2. What did Jason say to reassure Medea that he didn't think of himself only in this new marriage? Quote the lines.
3. Interpret "Never let happiness appear in sorrow's guise, nor, when thy fortune smiles, pretend she frowns!"
4. Why did Jason offer Medea after she refused to believe him?(page 16) How did Medea respond to Jason's offer?

HW#16

Pretend to be Jason. After the conversation with Medea, you returned to your chamber and speak out how you really feel towards Medea, your sons ,the new marriage and your future.

Lesson 4( from pages 16-24)

Aim: How does Medea plan to revenge against Jason and escape the punishment?

Do Now: In your journal, describe what you think might be the appropriate punishment for Jason.

Procedure:

1. Read the dialogue between Medea and Aegeus and explain-
   • Why is Aegeus in Corinth?
   • What favor does Medea ask of Aegeus? What will she do in return?
   • What does Aegeus agree to do for Medea?
2. Describe and comment on Medea's plan of revenge.

HW#17

1. Interpret Strophe 1&2, antistrophe 1 &2
2. Look up the meanings of the following references
   • Argo
   • Golden Fleece
   • Pelias
   • Corinth
   • Aegeus
   • Theseus
   • Pandion
   • Phoebus
   • Troezen
   • Pittheus
   • Pelop
   • Helios
   • Maia
   • Cypri
   • Pallas
   • Hellene
   • Muses
   • Pieria
   • Harmonia
   • Cypris
   • Cephissus
   • Erechtheus
   • Ino
   • Tyrrhence
   • Scylla
   • Cape
   • Sisyphus
   • Pan
3. Based on Medea's monologue on page 24, use your own words to describe Medea's plan to revenge.

Lesson 5 (Pages 24-29)

Aim: How does Medea use her children in her vengeance? How does the playwright make the audience watch the spectacle of suffering and experience  fear and pity in this scene?

Do Now: Review the notes on tragedy

1. Elements of Greek Tragedy

1. Plots were religious myths familiar to the audience

1. No suspense-more subtle techniques

1. foreshadowing-hint or clue of a future event
2. verbal or "Sophoclean irony"-audience knows more than the character and a different meaning for the audience

1. All Greek plays had Unity

• Time-takes place within a single day
• Place-scene does not change
• Action-one story-no subplots

1. Form

1. Sophocles changed form of Greek Tragedy

• Added scene painting and a third actor
• Increased the chorus from 2-15

1. The Chorus

• Sets the mood
• Represents the common man
• Sides with one character or another
• May warn a character of possible danger

1. Aristotle 384-322BC

1. Wrote Poetics-the study of Greek Drama

1. Tragedy

1. Subject of tragedy is a struggle and down falls of a hero
2. Aim of tragedy is to bring about a catharsis--is a process that causes the audience to feel pity and fear and then purges them of these emotions so that they leave the theater feeling cleansed and uplifted.

• Audience feels pity for a hero because he doesn't deserve his misfortune
• Audience feels fear because they recognize that the hero is a man like themselves and what happened to the hero could happen to them.

1. Tragic Hero

1. Man/Woman of noble birth-a "good" person, not god-like
2. Has a flaw in his character

• Usually pride, hubris that ultimately causes his downfall
• Hero's fate flows from his character(flaw) it is not the result or an accident

1. involved in a noble cause-an action of a certain magnitude in which the hero believes he is doing the right thing.
2. Struggles against his fate that is inevitable
3. Experiences reversal and recognition

• Reversal-the opposite of what is planned for actually occurs
• Recognition-lives and suffers with the knowledge of what he has done

Procedure:

1. How does Medea fool Jason so she could carry out her revenge scheme?
2. Why does she cry? Are her tears real? Explain.
3. In this speech, how does dramatic irony create such a sense of sadness among the audience?

HW#18 From the children's point of view, write a poem or letter to Medea or Jason to show their feelings of confusion and fear.

Lesson 6

Aim: 1.How did Medea react to the news of the princess's death? (Based on the scene between Medea and her Attendant  and the Chorus chanting on pages 29-37)
          2. What internal conflicts are revealed in Medea's monologue when facing the crucial decision of slaying children?

Motivational Activities:

Visit the site about Ino and the golden ram and answer the following questions:

• Who is Ino?
• Why is her name used in the play?

Do Now:

In your journal -

1. Describe your feelings toward Medea at this point. Explain your answer. What do you wish her to do?
2. Interpret (Whom do the Chorus address to in each song)

   • Gone, gone is every hope I had that the children yet might live; forth to their doom they now proceed. The hapless bride will take, ay, take the golden crown that is to be her ruin; with her own hand will she lift and place upon her golden locks the garniture of death.

   • Its grace and sheen divine will tempt her to put on the robe and crown of gold, and in that act will she deck herself to be a bride amid the dead. Such is the snare whereinto she will fall, such is the deadly doom that waits the hapless maid, nor shall she from the curse escape.

   • And thou, poor wretch, who to thy sorrow art wedding a king's daughter, little thinkest of the doom thou art bringing on thy children's life, or of the cruel death that waits thy bride. Woe is thee! how art thou fallen from thy high estate!

   • Next do I bewail thy sorrows, O mother hapless in thy children, thou who wilt slay thy babes because thou hast a rival, the babes thy husband hath deserted impiously to join him to another bride.

Procedure:

1. On page 29, based on the Chorus's songs( strophe & antistrophe), how do they feel toward Creon's daughter, Jason and Medea respectively?
2. How did Medea react when she saw her children return from the palace after they had represented the fatal gift to the princess?
3. In Medea's monologue on page 31, what emotions did she expressed for the  plan of killing her children? Cite three examples from the monologue to support your statement.
4. Interpret Chorus's chanting on page 32. What do parents have to go through to rear their children? What's their biggest fear and woe?
5. What news does the Messenger bring to Medea about the princess?
6. How does Medea react to the news brought by the messenger?
7. Based on the Messenger's account of the princess's death, how is the scene described so horrifically? Provide 5 examples from the speech to illustrate.
8. What force pushes Medea to kill her sons finally? What's her emotion accompanying her horrific deed?(page 35)
9. What's the chorus's comments on Medea's murdering her sons as expressed in their chanting-one of which begins with "O earth, O sun whose beam illumines all, look, look upon this lost woman, ere she stretch forth her murderous hand upon her sons for blood..." and the other begins with "O hapless mother, surely thou hast a heart of stone or steel to slay the offspring of thy womb by such a murderous doom..."(page 35)?
10. Comment on the Chorus chanting. Is Medea "a victim of fate"?

    "Didst hear, didst hear the children's cry? O lady, born to sorrow, victim of an evil fate! Shall I enter the house? For the children's sake I am resolved to ward off the murder".

HW#19

Analyze Medea's monologue on pages 31-32 beginning with " O my babes, my babes, ye have still a city and a home, where far from me and my sad lot you will live your lives, reft of your mother for ever;..." to "but passion, that cause of direst woes to mortal man, hath triumphed o'er my sober thoughts." How does this monologue reveal the inner struggle within Medea? Why can't we conclude easily that Medea is an evil and cruel woman without any qualm?

HW#20

1. Interpret and comment the speech by the messenger " Not now for the first time I think this human life a shadow; yea, and without shrinking I will say that they amongst men who pretend to wisdom and expend deep thought on words do incur a serious charge of folly; for amongst mortals no man is happy; wealth may pour in and make one luckier than another, but none can happy be.".
2. Write a dialogue between Hera and the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite commenting  on Medea. Remember Hera is the one who interfered with Jason's life by asking Aphrodite to make Medea fall in love with Jason. What would they say if they could make comments on Medea?

Lesson 7 (Based on the the dialogue between Jason and the Leader of the Chorus after the children were slain and when Jason came to rescue his sons; also the last scene based on the dialogue between Jason and Medea when they blamed each other for the "inevitable" tragedy)

Aim:  Who is truly responsible for the tragedy? Who is the tragic hero?

Do Now: In your journal, discuss what you think plays a more defining role in our life, one's fate or one's character? Explain.

Motivational Activities:

Comment on Medea's assertion of herself, "Ah, me! a victim of my own self-will" on page 31; and the Chorus's conclusion about Medea,"O Lady, born to sorrow, victim of an evil fate!" Are these two statements conflicting each other?

Procedure:

Read the last dialogue scene between Jason and Medea and discuss-

• What is the severest punishment that Medea placed upon Jason in addition to his sons's death?
• How did Medea and Jason blame each other?
• What's the meaning of the Chorus' last song " Many a fate doth Zeus dispense, high on his Olympian throne; oft do the gods bring things to pass beyond man's expectation; that, which we thought would be, is not fulfilled, while for the unlooked-for god finds out a way; and such hath been the issue of this matter"? How does the conclusion illustrate what happened in the play? In what way does this statement help you interpret the play?
• Who has gone toofar?
• In Medea, references are made to what it means to be Greek and what it means to be an outsider. How does this bear on the action of the play?

   

HW#21

 When portraying Medea, bear these questions in your mind-

1. Does she deserve sympathy? Why?
2. Has she gone too far? Why or why not?
3. Is she a victim of passion, a person without rationality, a trait ancients Greeks cherished?
4. As a woman, mother and a foreigner, what status may Medea have in the Greek society?

When portraying Jason, bear these questions in mind-

1. What did he do that may have angered Zeus?
2. What did he do wrong to Medea and his children?

Also, try to determine-

What conclusion does Euripides want his readers to draw? When the audience walk away from the theater, how does he want them to feel?

Create a trial scene in which Zeus is the judge and Medea and Jason debate who is to blame for the tragedy. Add some witnesses if you wish such as Medea's two sons, the Attendant, the Nurse and the Chorus.

New Vocabulary

Final

The final exam will take place on June 9th & 10th, and will be reviewed on June 11th.

On June 9th:  Vocabulary and Short-answer questions including mythological references and interpretations of certain speeches from the play, or examples of dramatic irony, reversal and recognition scene etc.

On June 10th: A critical essay based on Medea

Enrichment Activities:

1. The background of Trojan war
2. Greek mythology and folklore
3. Summary of Illiad
4. Summary of the epic Odyssey
5. Odysseus
6. About Sphinx
7. Ancient Greek Funeral Practice
   • Think about Medea's role as wife and mother in Greek society. How does this bear on the action of the play and affect your interpretation?
8. Play the Medea game
9. Notes on Medea
10. A sample critical essay on Medea
11. The Age of Euripides
12. Medea Summary and Analysis
13. The Art of Euripides
14. On Euripides
15. Greek Heroic Legend

Medea Essay Topics

1. Is Medea a Victim of her "Self-Will" or her "Evil Fate"?
2. Who Has Gone Too Far, Medea or Jason?
3. Why Is Medea a Typical Greek Tragedy? (Use the Notes on Tragedy to write this essay)
4. Who is the Tragic Hero in this Drama Medea?( Use the notes on Tragic Hero)
5. How Does the Play Medea Manifest Ancient Greek's Culture and Beliefs? (Hint: the importance of abiding to oaths, reverence for Gods and Goddesses, law of hospitality, importance of rationality, the disastrous result of "passion"- the enemy of rationalism,  the evil nature of pride, etc). To write an essay on this topic, you need to go to the Enrichment Activities to visit the site about ancient Greek culture and beliefs- extra credit for writing this essay.