“Stagecraft is as fundamental to the meaning of a play by Seneca as it is to the meaning of a work by any other tragedian.” Do you agree? (2015) - Theatre / Stagecraft

Spectacle

Stagecraft is as fundamental to the meaning of a play by Seneca as it is to the meaning of a work by any other tragedian due to his emphasis on spectacle.

- Act V - Thyestean banquet scene: he calls to his slaves to lay open the doors of his palace. A moveable platform can be brought in so the audience can witness Thyestes dining alone as Atreus watches on.

Turba famularis, fores templi relaxa, festa patefiat domus.

Libet uidere capita natorum intuens quos det colores, uerba quae primus dolor effundat aut ut spiritu expulso stupens corpus rigescat. fructus hic operis mei est. miserum uidere nolo sed dum fit miser. (900-905)

Aperta multa tecta conlucent face .resupinus ipse purpurae atque auro incubat, uino grauatum fulciens laeua caput. eructat. O me caelitum excelsissimum,regumque regem!

- Act III - Medea's incantation scene

Nurse: "sonuit ecce uesano gradu canit que. mundus uocibus primis tremit." - the meter switches to trochiac trimeter to match Medea's incantations.

Medea is pictured before an altar brought in my the moveable platform.

For thee bare-breasted like a Maenad

I'll slash my arms with sacred knife.

Let my blood drip on the altar.

Get used, my hands, to drawing steel

810 And feeling drops of your dear blood.(800-810)

role play

P2) Stagecraft is fundamental to Seneca's tragedy as role-play becomes integral for disguise of Atreus and Medea's real identity. They don masks to hide their true evil.

- Medea as Matrona in Act II

Creon calls Medea a "Tu, tu malorum machinatrix facinorum," (265)

Creon: Medea, Colchi noxium Aeetae genus, nondum meis exportat e regnis pedem? molitur aliquid: nota fraus, nota est manus.

Medea, that noxious child of Colchian Aeetes—is she not yet withdrawing from my realm? She is contriving something: her cunning is well known, so is her handiwork


Per ego auspicatos regii thalami toros, per spes futuras perque regnorum status, Fortuna varia dubia quos agitat vice, precor: brevem largire fugienti moram, dum extrema natis mater infigo oscula, fortasse moriens

By the auspicious bed of this royal marriage, by your hopes for the future and by the condition of kingship, always buffeted by the vicissitudes of uncertain Fortune, I pray you: generously grant a brief stay of exile, while I plant my last kisses on my children as their mother—perhaps a dying mother.

- Atreus as faithful brother Act 2 - He welcomes Thyestes back into the palace

Squalidam vestem exue oculisque nostris parce, et ornatus cape pares meis, laetusque fraterni imperi capesse partem. maior haec laus est mea, fratri paternum reddere incolumi decus; habere regnum casus est, virtus dare.

Off with these filthy clothes—have pity on our eyes—and accept finery equal to mine; prosper and take on a share of your brother's power. Mine is the greater glory in restoring our father's grandeur to my safely returned brother. To hold a throne is luck; to bestow it, virtue.

Stoicism and self identity

It might be argued that the lengthy monologues suggest that Seneca was less concerned about the performance aspect of his plays but rather concepts of self-identity - mirror of self.

- Thyestes Stoic proficens Act 3 (400-405)

THYESTES. (Aside) Things I've longed for—roofs of my fatherland

The bright gleam of power 415Should not blind your eyes with its false glitter. When you view a gift, look at the giver.

"clarus hic regni nitor fulgore non est quod oculos falso auferat;cum quod datur spectabis, et dantem aspice.

- Medea rejection of matrona Act I - ‘sceleris auctorem horridi’ and 'artifex scelerum'

Let him long for me as wife and—no greater

Curse can be uttered—children like their father,

25 Like their mother. It's born now—vengeance—born:

I've given birth. (20-25)

me coniugem opto, quoque non aliud queam peius precari, liberos similes patri similesque matre parta iam, parta ultio est peperi

These were my virgin deeds. Let heavier pain surge;

50 Greater crimes become me as a mother.

haec uirgo feci; grauior exurgat dolor: maiora iam me scelera post partus decent.

- Medea reclamation

Act II

NURSE. Run.

MEDEA.I've run enough.

NURSE. Medea—MEDEA. Will I be.

NURSE. You're a mother.

MEDEA.You see for whom.

N “fiam” - M “Mater es” N “cui sim vides”

Act V

Medea nunc sum: crevit ingenium malis.” (910)

- Recognition - self actualisation

• Medea: lumina huc tumida alleva, ingrate Iason. coniugem agnoscis tuam? sic fugere soleo.”

Stoicism and self identity 2

- Atreus rejection of self-identity

Act II (176-185) -

Ignave, iners, enervis et (quod maximum probrum tyranno rebus in summis reor)inulte, post tot scelera, post fratris dolosfasque omne ruptum questibus vanis agis iratus Atreus?

Idle, inert, impotent, and (what I count the greatest reproach for a tyrant in crises) unavenged: after so many crimes, after your brother's treachery and the breaking of every principle, do you act with futile complaints—you, Atreus in anger?

flecti non potest—frangi potest.he cannot be bent, but he can be broken.

- Atreus progenial crime

Act II

SATELLES: Facere quid tandem paras?

ATREVS: Nescio quid animus maius et solito amplius supraque fines moris humani tumet instat que pigris manibus - haud quid sit scio, sed grande quiddam est

Daulis inspira parenssororque; causa est similis: assiste et manum impelle nostram.

- Atreus subjugation of Thyestes Act V

Atreus proclamation that he wants to ‘implebo patrem’ and during the feast scene he watches gleefully as Thyestes ‘eructat’

Thyestes asks “What is this turmoil that shakes my guts?

” Quis hic tumultus viscera exagitat mea?"

Volvuntur intus viscera, et clausum nefas sine exitu luctatur et quaerit fugam: da, frater, ensem (sanguinis multum mei habet ille): ferro liberis detur via.

The flesh churns within me, the imprisoned horror struggles with no way out, seeking to escape. Give me your sword, brother—it already has much of my blood: the blade must give my children a path.

- Atreus self-actuation

Atreus Expedi amplexus, pater: uenere. — natos ecquid agnoscis tuos? Thyestes Agnosco fratrem. (Thyestes 1004—6)

Atreus Spread wide your arms, father: They have come. — Do you recognise your sons? Thyestes I recognise my brother.