1

Part I
Read lines 1157-76 (Then with a frightful ... taught us enough) in the set
translation of Medea by John Harrison. (This is an extract from the Messengers
speech to Medea, the Chorus and the audience.)
In no more than 500 words identify points of interest in the language used in the
extract by the Messenger, focusing especially on how he conveys ideas and
emotions, and comment on the ways in which the themes of the play are
developed.

In these lines we are presented with the final part of the Messengers description of
the Princess death. The Messengers own words in line 1174 could very successfully be used
as a title to the extract: a gruesome sight (Harrison,1999 p.83). The whole piece is saturated
with vocabulary that echoes this phrase, such as the adjectives frightful (ibid, line1157) and
monstrous (1160) and the repetition of the word torment (1158 & 1168). The words
blood (1171), flesh (1172) and bones (1174) create a macabre image and trigger feelings
of shock and even disgust to the reader/viewer. However, this wording is carefully chosen
and effectively put together by Euripides so as to represent the central theme of the play:
revenge. So far, we have only heard of revenge as a mere word coming from Medeas mouth
but now we witness its ugly face.
It seems that the Princess is fighting a losing battle. The tone of the Messenger is
both despairing and anguished. The fact that there are only four action verbs with the
Princess as the doer (jumped up, ran, (1163) shook (1166) and fell(1168)) underline the
violence of the scene and her impotence to avert her agonising death. At the same time she is
sympathetically characterised as a poor girl (1157) who is attacked (1158) by Medeas
powerful magic. On one hand, through poetic but also strong use of language, we can almost
picture her pale flesh, (1162) natural beauty and clear look(1170) all representative of a
fine, fragile young woman and on the other, the all-consuming fire(1160) and poisons

2
hidden jaws (1172) employed by Medea. This contrast intensifies the dramatic effect of the
episode and makes us see the Princess and Medea in a new light. In other words, the former
no longer is the usurper of Medeas lawful husband but a victim of revenge and its
devouring consequences. As for the latter, who may have won the audiences sympathy
earlier in the play, is now viewed less favourably. It is also worth noting that the lines 11701173, with the repeated inversion of gone, sound just like a lament for the death of the
young woman causing the audiences grief.
Perhaps one could go as far as to suggest that the recurrent images of fire 1160,
1163,1167) in the extract reveal not only Medeas involvement in the murder but also of
Helios, the Sun God since as Harrison cites it is his robe and crown which are instrumental in
the Princess death(1999,p.66). Of course, it is difficult to say to what extent this bloodshed
event is divine intervention but our imagination is definitely captured by the vividly
contrasting images of the fine-spun dress and gold crown ironically given away by the
boys innocent hands and transformed into lethal weapons. Once more we are reminded of
the boys unwitting involvement in the killing and their tragic end is foreshadowed. As a
result, one could wonder why all these young innocent people should suffer in such a hideous
way and contemplate on the cruelty that human nature can display. For ancient Greeks, this
could serve as a reminder of the fact that every cause has an effect (dounai lavein) and of
course, the concept of yvris committed by both Medea and Jason and how it is punished.

Part II

In no more than 1000 words discuss the literary and/or theatrical impact of the
whole episode between the Messenger and Medea (lines 1089-1205 (Look! I see
one ... but happy no!) in Harrisons translation). You should explain, with
reasons, what you consider to be the most important aspects of form, structure,
language, values and tone, and you should comment on the contribution of the
episode to the dramatic development of the play.

The sixth Episode of Euripides Medea comprises what is technically called diagetic
space in ancient drama. In other words, the technique invented to accommodate the need for
the audience and characters to be informed of events especially violent ones that have
taken place off stage. Even if these happenings are usually communicated by a Messenger
and therefore, narrated rather than enacted, they do constitute a real part of the action.
Likewise, what the Messenger in question reports and the way he reports it are crucial to both
the dramatic development of the plot and the discussion of some of its main themes such as
revenge, reversal of gender roles, parenthood, punishment and happiness. Having these in
mind, I am going to explore the extract by taking a close look at its structure, form, language
and tone.
To begin with, the structure of the episode is such that builds up tension and forwards
the action. It can be divided into two main sections: the first covering the lines 10891106(p.79) and the second being the Messengers report of the off-stage events (lines 11071205,pp79,81,83,85). From the very first moment that Medea announces the Messengers
arrival, the audiences interest is aroused by her prediction that the news involves some fresh
disaster (1091,p.79). The short but revealing stichomythia that follows is full of ironies,
paradoxes but also references to future events (1092-1099,p.79). Specifically, the Messenger
mentions the chariot (1093) as a means of escape, which we finally see at the end of the
play, while Medea uses a rhetorical question in 1095 to delay the action, increase suspense but
also to emphasise her irrational pleasure over a set of hideous deaths (1106). The warning
tone of the Messenger shifts into surprise and confusion while she appears satisfied and
relaxed. Their vocabulary is strikingly antithetical: he talks about a dreadful, wicked,

4
(1092) hideous(1106) thing that wrecked(1101) the royal family and should frighten
1103) Medea but she sees it as wonderful(1098) and double pleasure (1106). Her joy will
sound even more irrational and perhaps repulsive when the audience is told how painful the
death of the royal family was.
From 1107 and on, the Messenger monopolises our attention by reiterating what he
has witnessed. The dramatist has again structured the Messengers report very effectively by
first setting the background to the main event and describing the servants feelings,
expectations and reactions to the childrens arrival (grieved then delighted(1109) and
overjoyed (1114,p.81) ) always highlighting their tragic role in the play (1107-1115). One
could say that the servants attitude to them (kissed the boys hands (1113)) is more humane
than their mothers, who uses them to spite her husband.

This is intensified by the

Messengers caring tone when he talks about them and adds to our feelings of pity for them.
Another very important literary technique in the extract is the use of direct speech in
two instances. The first is in 1123-1127(p.81) where Jason practically orders his new wife to
obey him and accept the childrens gifts.

There are a lot of imperatives here (stop,

turn(1124), consider(1125), take(1126) that echo the unequal relationship between the
couple and generally the inferior place of the woman in a marriage. Ironically, even though
she is a Princess, she obeys him, unlike Medea who has a will of her own.

We begin to

realise that the Princess is no less a victim in her marriage than Medea is and wonder why
Medea disregards this fact and destroys her. Could Jason be right when he earlier accused her
of sexual jealousy? Whatever the answer may be, by killing the Princess Medea acts more
like a man than a woman and seals the fate of her children.
The theme of gender-reversal is also evident in the second use of direct speech in
lines 1180-1182 where the previously cruel Creon laments over his daughter. In the ancient
Greek society the formal lament was a part of the womans role at funerals thus, this reversal
emphasises the pain that Medeas actions cause and transforms Creon into a tragic father (ill-

5
fated man(1191,p.85)). The theme of parenthood resurfaces here and the audience may
attempt a comparison between the father Creon, who was cruel to Medea to protect his
offspring (see first episode), and Medea, whose cruelty is infused in her own sons whom after
this episode will have to kill. Of course, we should not forget that direct speech also adds
immediacy to the Messengers narrative and brings the scene into life.
For the same purposes of vividness and dramatic development Euripides uses the
Messenger as a vehicle for pathos. He has him use a lot of details and even descriptions of
sounds (cry 1145, wail 1149, clatter (1153), scream (1160)p.83) in his narrative from
1131 to 1196. His reporting unfolds in three parts: before (1131-1138), meanwhile (11391176,pp81,83) and after (1177-1196,p.85) the death of the Princess in order to build up the
tension and to draw out the raw emotions which underlie the scene and the characters
involved. Adjectives and adverbs blended together in formal and poetic language - which
heighten the seriousness but also the emotional impact of the event - help the audience
envisage two contrasting scenes: a beautiful Princess trying on the gifts (fair (1120,p.81),
daintily, (white)

(1136), and a poisoned Princess suffering a most gruesome death

(frightful(1157,p.83), fiercely(1167), monstrous(1160), pale(1162)).

His language

becomes progressively stronger and culminates in two similes taken from nature (Her flesh
[...]/Melted from her bones like resin tears (1172-3) and Then, as ivy clings to laurel stems
(1185,p.85)) that intensify the tormenting deaths.

At the end of his report he bitterly

contemplates on the themes of punishment (1199) and happiness and how evasive they are
for human beings foreboding in a sense the tragic end of the play.

Concluding, this extract is dominated by the Messengers speech which as we saw

serves to inform Medea, the Chorus and the audience of events that have taken place off-stage
but also to bring the dramatic action forward. Through detailed description and direct speech
the Messenger functions as a vehicle of pathos and generates the audiences empathy and/or

6
antipathy for the characters involved. Although the happenings are merely reiterated, the
intensity of the language and the vivid account of the suffering have a stronger effect on the
audience than a visual enactment would have. As a result, they have the opportunity to
contemplate on some of the main themes of the play such as revenge, parenthood, gender
roles, punishment and happiness and filter them in a way through their own personal feelings,
values and beliefs. In other words, as Aristotle described in his definition of tragedy, they
reach catharsis through pity and fear.

REFERENCES
Euripides, Medea in Harrison, J. (trans.) (1999) Euripides: Medea, Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press.