"Medea" Aristotelian Analysis
Aristotelian Analysis – Music/Sound & Spectacle (Medea)
V. Music/SoundThe Use of Sound in Medea
Eurypides uses sound to great effect in Medea. Perhaps most prevalent is the fact that all the women are played by men, most likely talking and singing in a high pitched falsetto, giving the play a high, screeching tone, which would certainly put the audience on edge. This would add to the tension, and provide an exaggerated contrast between the men, speaking in their natural voices, and the women in their falsetto. This also influences the musical nature of the play. As compared to other Greek tragedies where the chorus would have been intentionally all male, Medea would have a very different sound, a much more feminine sound, as would be fitting for one of the few Greek plays with a female protagonist.
The language Eurypides uses helps the audience understand her and her actions, as well as be able to empathize with her. Words of destruction, such as "kill," "broken," "refugee," "sick," "hate," "enraged," and "starves" all set the stage in the first 20 lines of the play. The audience instantly knows that Medea has suffered horribly, and now has every right and reason to take revenge for the wrongs that have been done to her. These same words are used often throughout the play, especially "hate" and "betrayed" and give us great insight into the total fury and single mindedness of Medeas later actions. Jason's words, on the other hand, help us realize just how disconnected he is. He is, as the Chorus says "ignorant beyond pity." Jason thinks he is being "generous," and he somehow thinks leaving his wife for a younger woman makes him her "advocate."
Eurypides carefully emphasizes the scene where the children are slaughtered by having it be the only time we hear them speak. They are on stage for many scenes, but they never do anything but watch, silent and obedient while their family falls apart around them. When they finally speak, it is because it is their
V. Music/SoundThe Use of Sound in Medea
Eurypides uses sound to great effect in Medea. Perhaps most prevalent is the fact that all the women are played by men, most likely talking and singing in a high pitched falsetto, giving the play a high, screeching tone, which would certainly put the audience on edge. This would add to the tension, and provide an exaggerated contrast between the men, speaking in their natural voices, and the women in their falsetto. This also influences the musical nature of the play. As compared to other Greek tragedies where the chorus would have been intentionally all male, Medea would have a very different sound, a much more feminine sound, as would be fitting for one of the few Greek plays with a female protagonist.
The language Eurypides uses helps the audience understand her and her actions, as well as be able to empathize with her. Words of destruction, such as "kill," "broken," "refugee," "sick," "hate," "enraged," and "starves" all set the stage in the first 20 lines of the play. The audience instantly knows that Medea has suffered horribly, and now has every right and reason to take revenge for the wrongs that have been done to her. These same words are used often throughout the play, especially "hate" and "betrayed" and give us great insight into the total fury and single mindedness of Medeas later actions. Jason's words, on the other hand, help us realize just how disconnected he is. He is, as the Chorus says "ignorant beyond pity." Jason thinks he is being "generous," and he somehow thinks leaving his wife for a younger woman makes him her "advocate."
Eurypides carefully emphasizes the scene where the children are slaughtered by having it be the only time we hear them speak. They are on stage for many scenes, but they never do anything but watch, silent and obedient while their family falls apart around them. When they finally speak, it is because it is their