Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character) -- Drama
The allegory of "Harmony," as a sort of Korê, or Earth-maiden, planted
by all the Muses in the soil of Attica, seems to be an invention of the
poet. Not any given Art or Muse, but a spirit which unites and
harmonises all, is the special spirit of Athens. The Attic connection
with Erôs, on the other hand, is old and traditional. But Euripides has
transformed the primitive nature-god into a mystic and passionate
longing for "all manner of high deed," a Love which, different from that
described in the preceding chorus, really ennobles human life.
This first part of the Chorus is, of course, suggested by Aegeus; the
second is more closely connected with the action of the play. "How can
Medea dream of asking that stainless land to shelter her crimes? But the
whole plan of her revenge is not only wicked but impossible. She simply
could not do such a thing, if she tried."
Pp. 50 ff., l. 869, The second scene with Jason.]--Dicæarchus, and
perhaps his master Aristotle also, seems to have complained of Medea's
bursting into tears in this scene, instead of acting her part
consistently--a very prejudiced criticism. What strikes one about
Medea's assumed rôle is that in it she remains so like herself and so
unlike another woman. Had she really determined to yield to Jason, she
would have done so in just this way, keen-sighted and yet passionate.
One is reminded of the deceits of half-insane persons, which are due not
so much to conscious art as to the emergence of another side of the
personality.
P. 54, l. 949, Fine robings, &c.]--Repeated from l. 786, p. 46, where it
came full in the midst of Medea's avowal of her murderous purpose. It
startles one here, almost as though she had spoken out the word "murder"
in some way which Jason could not understand.
P. 56, l. 976, CHORUS.]--The inaction of the Chorus women during the
last scene will not bear thinking about, if we regard them as real human
beings, like, for instance, the Bacchæ and the Trojan Women in the plays
that bear their name. Still there is not only beauty, but, I think,
great dramatic value in the conventional and almost mystical quality of
this Chorus, and also in the low and quiet tone of that which follows,
l. 1081 ff.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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