M7 Reading Assignment “Ancient Athenian Drama"

Read the following pages in The Norton Anthology of World Literature and answer the following questions as you read. “Ancient Athenian Drama" 390-95 "Euripides" 438-40--pay close attention to the challenges Medea helped Jason overcome before the play began as described on pages 439. Medea [the entire play] According to the essay "Ancient Athenian Drama," before the invention of tragedy there were contests in which rhapsodes recited parts of what works of literature? What did Aeschylus supposedly call his own work? What does the essay say about the entrances and exits of characters in Greek drama? How many characters are usually engaged in dialogue in an ancient Athenian play? What is an agon? What is stichomythia? What does the Chorus often represent? In a Greek drama, where does killing (and other violence) usually take place? What is the purpose of the "messenger speech"? According to the essay about Euripides, who were the Sophists and what is "sophia"? According to the myth about Jason, in what ways did Medea save Jason's life? Reading Guide for Medea lines 1-276 Why do you think the Nurse is speaking to herself in the opening lines of Medea? What is the Argo, according to the footnote? How has Medea behaved in Corinth? Do the citizens like her? How has she acted toward Jason? Whom does Medea call to witness Jason's betrayal of herself, according to the Nurse? What does the Tutor call the Nurse, and what does the Nurse call the Tutor? What does Medea shout from offstage about the children? Which goddesses does Medea call upon by name? According to the footnote, with what are these goddesses associated? Why do you think she calls upon these particular goddesses in her present situation? In Medea, the Chorus is composed of what kind of people? How does Medea try to build common ground with the Chorus? What does she say they have in common as women? What are some of the difficulties of women that men do not suffer? What does Medea say she would rather do than go through childbirth once? How is Medea's situation distinct from the situation of the women of the chorus, according to her? At the end of her long speech to the Chorus, what favor does she ask of them? What does the Chorus say in reply to her request for this favor? Why does the Chorus say, "Look! I see Creon, the lord of this land, coming toward us now?" when Medea would clearly recognize Creon without his being named? What is the relationship between Creon's daughter and Jason? What punishment does Creon immediately announce for Medea? Why does Creon say he fears Medea? Do you believe Medea when she says to Creon, "You acted well, with wise restraint. And now, I don't begrudge your happiness"? Why or why not? Notice the "stichomythia" in lines 335-48. What is the definition of "stichomythia" in the essay "Ancient Athenian Drama"? What two things does Creon say he loves most? Which does he love more? Why does Medea say she needs to be allowed to stay for just one more day? What does Creon say he realizes as he grants Medea's request? How does Medea say Creon could have destroyed her plans? At this point in the play, whom does Medea plan to kill? What are some ways Medea considers killing her enemies? The dialogue between Jason and Medea in lines 448-650 is a great example of an "agon." What is the definition of "agon" in the essay "Ancient Athenian Drama"? Describe Jason's attitude toward Medea in this scene. Who does Jason say is to blame for Medea's banishment? Why? What does he offer her? Describe Medea's attitude toward Jason in this scene. What does Medea remind Jason of in lines 478-93? Medea says she could understand his wanting a new marriage if she had not done what for him? In lines 499-503, Medea speaks of Jason's oaths. Who does she say is in power? What does she say she gave up to be with Jason? In lines 533-36, Jason makes an analogy between himself as a debater and what kind of person? Jason acknowledges Medea's past deeds for him but says that he gives credit to which goddess? What is the more commonly known name of this goddess? Why does he say the goddess gets the credit and not Medea? Jason says that Medea received more than she gave because she is now lives in Hellas. Hellas is what the Greeks called the Greek-speaking lands. What does he say she gained? How does Jason argue that his new marriage was for the benefit of Medea and their children? What does Jason say is the only thing that a woman cares about? Jason says, "Men should really have some other method for getting children. The whole female race should not exist. It's nothing but a nuisance" (593--95). Notice how I cited the line numbers. Use this for an example in your papers. Jason's comment is thematically linked to what earlier line spoken by Medea to the Chorus? Medea acknowledges that Jason is a good speaker. What does she say about the way he uses this ability? How does Medea argue against Jason's claim that he married the princess for Medea's benefit? When she says, "A single word will pin you to the mat," she is making an analogy to which sport? How is this analogy related to the concept of "agon"? Jason ends the conversation by offering what to Medea? What are Medea's final words in the exchange to Jason? What is Aegeus's position? Where has he been traveling, and what does he seek? What did the oracle tell Aegeus? What request does Medea make of Aegeus, and what does she promise him? Why do you think Aegeus stipulates that Medea must travel to Athens without his help? He says that once she arrives, his house will be her "refuge." How does this relate to "xenia"? Why does Medea ask him to swear an oath to protect her once she arrives at his house? How is this similar to her earlier request to the Chorus? Notice that Medea tells the Chorus her plans in lines 794-816. Who does she now plan to kill? What does she say Jason will never do again? Why does Medea say she will kill her own children? What does the Chorus say will also be the result? In his first words of this agon, what does Jason call Medea instead of her name? What does Medea's attitude toward Jason seem to be now? What does Medea say about women? Why does Medea actually cry when she brings the children to Jason? Why does Jason think she is crying? Why does the Chorus also cry? What is the "evil" that the Chorus refers to when they say, "May this evil not go any further"? What does Jason tell his children they will become when they grow up? What favor does Medea ask Jason to ask of his new wife? What gifts does Medea send to the new wife to convince her? Who does she make deliver the gifts? What does Medea say about gifts and gold? When she says to her children, "bring back to your mother the good news she desires--that you've succeeded," what does she actually mean? What does Jason think she means? After the children return, what key events in life that she will never experience does Medea describe? Medea seems to waver in her plan when her children smile at her. How much pain does she say killing them will cause her compared to the pain it will cause Jason? When she changes her mind back to killing them, what is her stated motivation? What does the messenger first tell Medea to do? How does she respond? What does she tell the messenger will give her "twice the pleasure"? How does the princess die? How does Creon die? Why do you think this scene is described by a messenger rather than acted out onstage? When he arrives, what does Jason say Medea will have to do? What does he say he has come to do? What does Jason say he will do to Medea after he learns that she has killed their children? In what vehicle is Medea about to escape? Who gave her this vehicle? Of what previous murder does Jason remind Medea? To what monster from The Odyssey does he compare Medea? Which god does Medea mention in her reply to Jason? Why does she cite this god? When Jason says that Medea feels the pain of losing their children, also, what is Medea's reply? How does Medea prophecy that Jason will die? What is Jason's last request of Medea? Does she grant it? The Chorus ends the play with these words: "the gods can accomplish what no one would hope for. What we expect may not happen at all, while the gods find a way, against all expectation, to do what they want, however surprising." For each important character, did what he or she expected to happen occur or not?