Due Feb 18
The Civic Function of Greek Theater
Reading: Jennifer Wallace on the cultural development of Greek tragedy (Wallace.pdf—on Blackboard)
Reading: Euripides, Medea, pp 5-44 (roughly the play’s first half, ending with Aegeus’ exit from the stage).
Writing: Respond to ONE of the following prompts. Keep your response short, posting as a reply under the appropriate heading in the comments section:
- The play opens with a conversation between two servants, the Nurse and the Tutor, a conversation which serves to bring the audience up to speed with recent events in Medea’s life. But beyond mere plot summary, their conversation can be mined for insight into class dynamics. From the words these characters use in speaking of their master and mistress, how do these lower-class characters feel toward their social “betters”? Do the Nurse and Tutor express similar attitudes, or do their differ?
- The Chorus in a Greek Tragedy often serves to voice the hopes and fears of ordinary citizens, witnesses to actions undertaken by heroes and by politicians that will make or break the city’s fortunes. Taking this generalization as your starting point, point to a moment in Medea that allows you to characterize the Chorus in this particular play. Does this Chorus bear out my generalization, or does it stand as an exception to the general rule?
- In quick succession, Medea meets with King Creon and then her estranged husband Jason. Pointing to a key moment from one of these exchanges, what do we learn about her character—or perhaps about the cultural power imbalance she faces as a woman and an alien?
Re: the Nurse and the Tutor
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In the beginning of Medea, Nurse and Tutor reveal how lower class characters view their social betters, what stands out is their attitudes are not the same. Nurse speaks with loyalty toward Medea. She calls “poor Medea” and care about her difficulties and describes how she lies inside “consumed with grief”. This highlights her language and hints how sympathy that crosses class lines. Although Medea is only her mistress, the way Nurse show concerns almost seems to be maternal. Simultaneously, she is critical of Jason. She suggests that his ambitions and passion for status causes him to betray Medea. Through Nurse, we see the demonstration of the resentment toward male power and how she sees how easily a powerful man can betray a woman once she is no longer useful for him. On the other hand, Tutor is more cautious. He brings news about Creon’s decree and seems to put his attention on practical impacts than emotional outrage. While he doesn’t support Jason, he does not resent with the same intensity as the Nurse. His tone in the dialogues show how he understands that masters act for advantage and that to survive he need to adapt to those decision. Their dialogue illustrates how those who have power may see elite behaviour more vividly than the elites themselves.
I agree that the Nurse does have some sympathy for Medea and her struggles, but I also think part of it stems from her role as Medea’s servant. When Tutor sees the Nurse talking to herself, she tells him, “don’t you know that if the dice fall badly for our masters they fall the same for us?” (8). As a servant of Medea’s household, her future depends on her master and their actions. So if something bad happens because of Medea’s anger and her rage towards Jason, she too will fall victim to the consequences, even if she had no part in the problem herself. She probably does have a part of her that truly cares for Medea and her children, who have been wronged, but she also realizes her own position and the class differences between them.
I connected this part of the reading to our reading on Aristotle regarding the “natural” and mutual relationship between slave and master. Therefore, I understood the Nurse’s sympathy as being part of the affectionate relation between slave and master, and therefore agree with the interpretation her feelings are genuine. This is especially true for the love of Medea’s children outlined above, for the Nurse is part of their family and is therefore expected to care for the welfare of the whole (the kids and Medea, albeit her chastising of Jason does warrant discussion as she’s seemingly out of place). Her reverence to Medea, calling her “Dear Mistress” also exemplifies the natural order of subservience as she refers to her formally. Meanwhile, the tutor refers to Medea as a “poor ignorant woman” and “lady” which is not something you’d expect a subservient slave who has an affection for their master to say. In this manner, I do agree that the tutor is more emotionally estranged. From the perspective that I’ve taken, I can therefore understand their different attitudes as commentary on the ideal relationship between a slave and master as established by Aristotle. In fact, when I read this part I thought about it as foreshadowing for later. I came to believe these different attitudes would come to determine the different fates of the Nurse and Tutor despite them finding themselves in the same deep hole.
I agree with the idea that the nurse is sympathetic to Medea. The main moment that stuck out to me was when the nurse states “The poor woman knows from bitter loss” (34) When faced with a woman who seems to want her grief reflected onto every aspect of her life, the nurse still remains mature and speaks of Medea affectionately. However, this may be because as Medea’s servant, her livelihood is dependent on Medea’s livelihood. Perhaps this economic dependence on Medea has caused the nurse to become fully emotionally invested into Medea’s life and concerned for her, as any negative consequence that Medea faces would have an effect on the nurse.
I agree that Nurse and Tutor both speak about Jason in a negative light, yet they still have some sort of loyalty to their “social betters”. It is very clear that Nurse feels pity for Madea and expresses that even though Jason is her master, he is a bad man to his own family. This emotional loyalty to Madea aids the audience in understanding the closeness Nurse feels towards the female figures rather than the male. Nurse feels like their fates are tied to their superiors, so Jason’s betrayal shows how his unchecked passions can destroy those beneath him. In contrast, the Tutor speaks with less emotional involvment (as you mentioned), with a more cynical approach. He mentions that all men naturally love themsleves more than others, so Jason’s behavior is typical rather than shocking. Although he also looks down on Jason, he is not as involved as Nurse, and does not touch on the topic of Madea a much. As both come from lower-class backgrounds, we can recognize that they depend on their “betters” yet still judge them harshly.
I agree that the Nurse embraces a more personal and emotional connection to her social “betters,” while Tutor shows a more logical and understanding connection to his social “betters.” I think their attitudes help us gain insight into how their relationship dynamics may vary between servant and master, and how not only were masters affected during difficult situations, but also their servants.
Throughout the conversation, we see that they’re dependent on the children and Jason to be a family, as their roles are dependent on the children. That is why they’re so invested in the family drama. We see that the nurse has some built-up animosity towards Jason. She states that, ” He is my master, so I cannot curse him, but such disloyalty to those he ought to love…”(9-10). It shows us that they aren’t fond of their master, yet still show loyalty to them. Whereas the tutor says, ” What mortal man is not guilty?” (10). So, it seems to me that they have contrasting ideas towards their master, yet both show loyalty likely because their lives must be easier then mosts being workers for the family. So, they’re likely afraid or unwilling to go against Jason. However, they still see the evil in his actions and therefore gossip about it.
Yes I agree, these are some great insights, and to expand on your thoughts it does seem that both servants have a want to remain loyal, however it also seems they both have differing incentives behind this. Nurse, “[feels] Medea’s troubles as [her] own”(8). Exemplifying how she seems to maintain her loyalty out of a genuine kinship with her mistress/household, as she is clearly very emotionally affected by the incident, just as Medea is. While, Tutor is much more apathetic, only showing true concern to remain loyal to preserve his own position in the household. This also reveals how Tutor feels about those of the upper classes, specifically when he states, “what mortal man is not guilty?…has it just dawned on you that we’re each of us human: we put ourselves above all others”(10). This insight strikes a clear difference between the two servants, and further supports the idea that Tutor is acting out of his own self interest, as Tutor believes that in a sense all men are equal in that everyone acts out of their own interest. So, Tutor respects his superiors out of obligation of his position, but not out of a genuine respect or kinship as is seen with Nurse.
I somewhat disagree with what Brad said. The Nurse, who belongs to Jason, actually empathizes with his children more than she empathizes with Jason, which are thoughts of disloyalty. Tutor defends Jason, saying “all people put themselves before others, sometimes for good reason”. I think Tutor is more loyal than Nurse because of this interaction.
From both the nurse and the tutor we see very mixed emotions toward their “betters”. The nurse speaks with respect and loyalty for Medea but there is also a clear sign of fear from line 36 “I’m afraid of her, in case she has some new plan in mind” in reference to her hating her children. There is a clear difference in power between the nurse and Medea which leads to a feeling of trepidation from the nurse whenever shes near the misstress. The nurse is also very negative towards Jason after finding out about his traitorous behavior. Contrastly the pedagogue belives in what the nurse is saying but understands that this is not something that needs to be addressed presently with the line “it is not a good time for the mistress to find out about this”. The tutor is also much less emotional with his language which shows the difference in how much they care about this issue. Both the nurse and pedagogue have respect for their social “betters” but they do not blindly trust and believe in every action they take.
I agree with you that there is a general ambivalence coming from the two characters but I think the emotion goes even deeper. While the Nurse is seen portraying fear and loyalty towards Medea, there is a greater tension between these two. The Nurse’s opening monologue shows her mourning Medea’s suffering almost as if it were her own with the Nurse saying, “If only it didn’t happen like this” (Euripides line 1), and, “Though a foreigner like me, Medea was welcomed” (Euripides line 12). It’s not just servant loyalty, by comparing Medea as a foreigner like her, the Nurse is identifying with Medea, going directly at odds with the fear she feels around Medea. This outsider status creates a bond between the two characters that cuts across class divide- even though Medea is portrayed as being a higher ranking individual than the Nurse and thus completely different than her, this shared status allows them to share a similarity, strengthening the ambivalence that the Nurse feels towards her social “better”.
Chorus in Medea
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The chorus in Medea plays a different role than described in the prompt. yes, it does witness actions made by the hero but it also tries to influence them. it is less of a watchful eye that voices the people but more of a character interacted with by Medea, even advising her and steering her down a path. The chorus talks to Medea a few times, trying to get her to lessen her anger before agreeing in the evilness of men and what had been done to her. Eventually it even directly addresses Jason in her defense: “Jason, your argument is impressive, and eloquently put. However, if you’ll pardon us, we don’t see that deserting your wife is morally right” (32). The Chorus is not only a voice of citizens but a character with influence.
I agree, the chorus is an actual part of the story, not just a witness. They encourage Medea when she is in Athens, strengthening her resolve. Earlier on as well, they keep Medeas plan a secret, showing that they can influence the words that are going on. While this part is true, they are limited with just words, they can’t directly affect the story, just increase moral or influence the actions of Medea
I completely agree and think that the chorus does play a different role than what is described in the prompt. The chorus seems to have its own characteristics that shape the interactions with Medea. One example I found interesting was, “We have heard the cry of the unhappy woman of Colchis. Tell us, nurse. Is she still no calmer?”(Euripides 12). This shows the emotions of the chorus and how they are sympathetic to Medea, showing that this emotion differs directly from the prompt.
While I think you are potentially correct on the characterization of the chorus, I disagree with you on the point that they have “influence” as ultimately this chorus ends up taking a relatively passive and insignificant stance. An example of this is when the Chorus takes Medea’s stance when addressing Jason and says “anger is frightening and hard to remedy” (Line 519). Even though this comment was made, it had no impact on Jason’s behavior as he continued to dismiss Medea. Yes, the chorus is the spokesperson for the citizens, but to say it has noteworthy impact on the story is where I disagree.
I think that while the chorus does have a slightly different portrayal because it takes on its own character in a way, it is still just an echo of the citizen’ opinions and they’re not really significant in changing the hero’s decisions. While they do sympathize with Medea and reflect fears and emotions of Corinthian women, they’re still passive observers. In the start, they sympathize with Medea’s pain, but they’re also thinking about justice and social order, not just her personal feelings. An example is when they talk about how Jason broke his sacred marriage oath and said that Zeus, guardian of oaths, sees what he has done. That moment shows them acting like moral witnesses for the community. At the same time, they start to sense how dangerous Medea’s anger could become in the future too. So the chorus do sound like regular citizens caught in the middle, hoping justice will be restored but they’re also kind of scared of what might happen if things spin out of control.
Based on the early appearances that the Chorus makes, it does seem as though the Chorus can be characterized by the general sentiments of the public. I say this because on pages 16-17, Medea goes on a frantic rant about he sexism and lack of respect society has for women. This rant was fueled by her hate for her husband, who wronged her greatly–so much so that she attempts to devise a plan to get revenge for her pain (Medea 18). She does this by addressing the Chorus directly. After Medea pours her heart out and fleshes out her sentiments against her husband, the Chorus affirms her, saying, “We promise. You have every right to punish your husband, Medea, and every reason to grieve” (18). This tells me that the Chorus is very sympathetic and understanding of Medea’s grief–much the same as the general public would be if they understood her physical and mental state at the time. With further reading, it will be shown how this relationship between the chorus and characters play a role on affecting the story. However, since Medea asked the Chorus directly for support (and since they obliged), my assumption would be that this has a direct impact on Medea’s decisions going forwards.
I agree with you, I believe the chorus does share the general sentiment of ordinary citizens. They share in Medea’s belief that Jason did wrong, which the ordinary citizen would think. Though they are not a completely unbiased group. You can clearly tell when they speak to Medea that they are women (Euripides 26), they are her friends (Euripides 12), and that they are on her side (Euripides 18). Like you mentioned, by ‘on her side’ they believe that she has a right to punish her husband, and Medea suggests death, which may go a little beyond what an ordinary citizen would support. Though maybe not.
Medea faces Down (Male) Politicians
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In Medea’s conversation with Creon, we see her beg for one day more before she is exiled from the land and specifically plays on Creon’s sympathy for her as a mother to innocent children. She says, “Take pity on them, at least. You have kindness in you; you’re a parent too. I can bear exile, but I cannot bear to see them suffer” (Euripides 345-347). The plea is successful; Creon grants her a day to get her affairs in order. This moment is illustrative of how Medea is a very canny and clever woman. Through her lamentations about her plight to the nurse and the chorus, we already know she is keenly aware of her lack of cultural currency and power as a result of her status as a woman and as a foreigner; here, with Creon, she uses that awareness to use the only lever of power that is available to her, which is her status as a mother. She knows that this is the only thing that Creon will possibly concede to, and she doesn’t hesitate to use it to manipulate him.
I agree with your point that Medea’s ‘cleverness’ is her only real power. It’s a bit ironic because Creon explicitly says he is afraid of her because she is smart, yet he still falls for her act as a ‘helpless mother.’ This shows that even though the men in the play hold all the legal power, Medea understands human psychology better than they do.
I agree because that moment proves Medea isn’t powerless, she’s just forced to use her power indirectly. Since Creon is able to exile her instantly as both a woman and a foreigner, she plays the only role society will take seriously. That role is the suffering mother. Her line about pity for her children is cleverly showing how she manipulates his sympathy to gain one more day. This overall turns her limited social “currency” into real leverage.
I agree with you that Medea’s power lies within her wits and cleverness. Here, we see that since she is a woman, an alien, and now estranged from her husband leaving her with no status, she must find other ways to enact her revenge. Through her revenge we see that she is highly manipulative, appealing to Creon’s fatherly instincts and also that she is intelligent, resourceful, and determined. I think this also points to how this is such an atypical Greek play as we see Medea using her wits to complete her revenge, showing how she not only defies traditional gender roles, but also gets her “happy” ending despite being a tragedy.
I agree with Hannah, as Medea is a witty and calculated character who knows how to work around her situation. I would like to extend this to her conversation with her estranged husband, Jason. Jason left Medea for another woman, leaving her and her children without a man of the house. He has the audacity to tell her this is for the best and that Medea is being dramatic and is an emotional woman. This shows that there is a social difference in what a man and a woman can do. Jason leaves his wife for another woman, and this is not an issue for him. To him, he can move where he wants without repercussions on his social and financial status. In contrast to Medea, she is left vulnerable not only as a foreigner but also as a “manless” woman within her community. It shows the vulnerability of women in marriage.