Western Literature: Western Literature Week Twelve

A. Preview Euripides' Medea
a. Medea's ancestor had relations with the god of sun, Hyperion, so after Medea killed many people, she carried away by a chariot. This kind of plot was called deus ex machina (god from machine).
b. Medea, the play, is more modern than other plays. It's all caused by the chaos during the Peloponnesian War.

The End of Peloponnesian War

c. Euripides is reported as a prolific writer and he is told to have many works when he's still alive.
d. Every play should have a keynote to describe. For examples, Agamemnon and Oedipus the King are that man should learn from suffering.
e. Previous on Medea--
Jason is the son of Aeson, King of Iolcos, but his crown was taken by Pelias when he was a child. A servant sent the young Jason out secretly. Many years were gone by, Jason came back to fight for the throne which belongs to him while he is the age of 19. Pelias didn't say no but he told Jason that he didn't have any contribution to this country so even he is the blood of the old king, it's hard for people to support him. Therefore, Pelius suggested that if Jason could find the Golden Fleece, he could give him the crown back. Thus Jason built his ship, Argo, and picked his crew from the Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Pelius secretly arranged his own son to follow Jason for robbing the Golden Fleece when the time's right. Of course, his son died eventually. As for Medea, she was a extraordinary girl with special powers. Because she fell in love with Jason, she killed the monster, got the Golden Fleece for Jason, and followed him back to Iolcos. When they arrived Iolcos, Pelius' daughter heard Medea could bring back the life of a goat after bloodletting and told the weak Pelius. Hence, Pelius asked Medea to cure him. Medea agreed so she help Pelius with bloodletting. However, she didn't cure him. She let him die directly. Pelius' daughter was furious and commanded to hunt them down. Ultimately, Medea and Jason escaped from Iolcos to Corinth.
(The play starts from here...)

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B. Book Discussion
a. In the beginning of Medea (the exposition), the first character, Nurse, would come on the stage first and say "I wish the Argo never had set sail." Through the conversation with Nurse and Tutor, audiences can understand the summary of antecedent. -- on P.745
b. Why would Nurse say that? >> Because if there was no crew, Jason wouldn't meet Medea.
c. "Kill their father"-- the father means Pelius.-- on P.746

play script

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C. Extra Content and Professor's Self-Experience Sharing
a. Edgar Allan Poe-- "The Raven" (Poem)
>> This poem is talking about the author's mourn to the his girlfriend's death. At the moment, here came a raven so "they" had some conversation.

“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted—nevermore!