English Medea

Ekkyklema

rolling platform used in ancient greek theatre; interior scenes could be played on these or display bodies or dead characters

machina (machine)

-basket on a pole suspended by a cane -> to help character fly

-deus ex machina= latin for "god out of the machine"

-used in end of scene to show a solution/end to play

aside

consists of private words spoken by a character to the audience or to another character

soliloquy

a long speech in which a character who is usually alone on stage expresses his or her private thoughts or feelings (Latin: solus - alone; Ioqui - to speak)

anagnorisis

moment of recognition and acceptance that a one's own reversal of fortune (peripeteia) was brought by one's own flaw

peripeteia

a sudden reversal or fortune or an abrupt and drastic change in circumstances

catharsis

purging or purification of emotions

eleos

pity

phobos

phobia, fear

hamartia

tragic flaw; a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of an individual

hubris

excessive pride

mimesis/verisimilitude

a representation or imitation of reality (or of the real world) in art or literature

antecedent action

events or actions that come before the main events of the story or occurs off stage

3 unities

time, place, action

Unity of time

took place in 1 day (usually beginning in the morning and ending with the evening

Unity of place

occurred in 1 place

Unity of action

action was "complete and whole", with a beginning, middle, and end

protagonist

literally 'first actor' - the main character of the story

antagonist

force opposing the protagonist

chorus

homogenous group representing a collective voice who describe and comment upon the main action of the play in the form of song, dance, recitation, and/or interaction with characters

monologue

an extended speech in which a character is speaking to an audience but is uninterrupted

playwright

the author of the play; also called dramtist

Apollonian-Dionysian Dichotomy

- Apollonian - our higher self: wisdom and control

- Dionysian - our primal/animal self: impulse, mass chaos

Apollonian

our higher self: wisdom and control

Dionysian

our primal/animal self: impulse, mass chaos

kleos

heroic fame

tragedy

-a play in which the protagonist does not overcome antagonist

-human actions have inevitable consequences

-characters' bad deeds, errors, mistakes, and crimes result in tragic outcomes

tragic hero

-the protagonist in a tragedy, who is often high-ranking, courageous, and dignified, comes to a downfall through a tragic flaw, wins some self-knowledge and wisdom, but ultimately suffers defeat.

-potential for greatness but doomed to fail

-not entirely in or out of his control

Euripides (480s BC - 406 BC)

-athenian

-wrote 92 plays: 16 tragedies survived, Medea is final part of a tetralogy, but the other three are lost works

-controversial: "new thought" - advocated removal of controls on women, spent last year of life at court of King Archelaus of Macedonia - legend says torn to pieces by dogs (but prob not), association with (and likely disciple of) Socrates, rumored to take bribes

-Aristotle called him the most tragic of all poets - his plays focus on inward/psychological and often deal with characters who behave as flawed individuals rather than as exmaples of moral superiority

episodes

scenes of dialogue

strophes and antistrophes

odes (songs)

comedy

protagonist overcomes antagonist

Medea's Origin Story

-Medea is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis and granddaughter to Helios (the sun god)

-Medea was a sorceress

Argo

name of the ship to find the Golden Fleece