Month: November 2020

• Examine Medea’s behaviour with Creon: what strategies does she use to manipulate him?
• How does Medea’s speech after Creon’s exit give us further insight into her character?
• What is the thematic function of the choral stasimon after this episode?
• How does Euripides dramatically present the contrast between Medea and Jason’s different perspectives on their relationship?
• What sympathy does the chorus show to Medea? Why?
• How is this dramatically effective?

In the first episode, we encounter Creon and we experience the interaction between both Medea and Creon. Through their interaction, it is very evident that Medea is very cunning and sneaky in the sense that she plays a role and portrays herself in a different light. She plays with the idea that Creon is a father and that he should therefore care for her children, this is coupled by her playing with the idea of being a mother. She elaborates by addressing her close relationship to her children and how she wants the best for them although it is evident from the prologue that she doesn’t really care for them as much as she says.

After Creon exits, we understand what Medea’s intentions are, she ultimately comes to the conclusion that she wishes to kill. Through experiencing Medea as such an unstable character in the prologue, it is feasible to think that this decision may have not had the utmost thought behind it. The chorus thinks in a like-minded way. Although at the end of the prologue, we see the chorus tending to the side of Meda, they still want to check that she is making the right decision. Its almost as if they are checking that she has thought it through enough.

In the second episode, we are introduced to Jason, having very contrasting opinions to one another, Medea’s and Jason’s interaction is a very outstanding point in the play. Initially, Medea states her case and most of her pints of the argument, she generally states the ways in which she feels she had helped Jason on their voyage to get the golden fleece and everything she has done for the relationship. This is then followed by Jason’s side of the argument where he counters everything she says and ultimately finished off by stating how the female’s only purpose is to produce babies and had there been another way to do so they may as well not exist. Through their argument, we understand that on a deeper level, Jason was early in the relationship from a transactional point of view, whilst Medea was very passionate and invested in the relationship.

After this, the second stasimon ultimately suggests how the chorus is coming to the side of Medea. As the chorus mainly consists of Corinthian women, it is understandable as to why they may take Medea’s side more than if it were full of Corinthian men. At the end of this stasimon, the chorus states, “he shall be no friend of mine” ultimately finalising their siding with Medea.

• What is the significance of the information the Nurse gives the audience?
• How does it influence our impressions of Medea’s character before we see her?
• How does The Chorus develop the detail and themes outlined in the Prologue?
• What dramatic effect is created?
• How does Medea characterise her suffering to the audience in her initial address?

In the prologue, the nurse reveals information about Medea to the audience and gives an idea of who she is. We understand that she has sacrificed many things to come to this new land with Jason. We then discover how Jason left Medea for Creon’s daughter and Medea is now left more or less stranded with her two sons. The nurse mentions how “They’ve no thought of this cruel blow that has fallen on their mother” perhaps alluding to how it makes it even more tricky for Medea to function in this new land alone. In addition to this, we can infer how Medea’s two sons may act as a symbol for what Jason has left her and thus suggest how she may not be very fond of them. Later on, the stage direction [Medea’s voice is heard from inside the house] followed by the quote “Oh oh! What misery, what wretchedness! What shall I do? If only I were dead!” is the first time in the play we hear something from Medea herself. Everything the Nurse has described about her leading up to this point has portrayed her as a rather crazy, unsettled, volatile and emotionally unstable woman. We can then hear her screaming from inside the house which further supports these ideas. Further on in the prologue, the chorus expresses their opinions on the matter and we see more of the unsettled side of Medea. The chorus holds quite the opposite point of view, although after some time they understand how her heightened emotions are justified. therefore it isn’t so bad for her to want revenge for the things that Jason has done to her. She expresses how she wants to do more than just stay at home and take care of the children, instead she wants to be on the frontlines and battle.

Is Atwood’s novel ultimately a feminist work of literature, or does it offer a critique of feminism? (400-500 words)

The second wave feminism existed from the 1960s to 1980s and sought to gain equality for women within the household, working environments, and education. There was also a focus on women’s liberation and how women were represented in the media. Magaret Atwood is widely viewed as a feminist writer and The Handmaid’s Tale presents a complex view of feminism. The Handmaid’s Tale is a feminist novel because it creates a dystopian vision of a patriarchal caste system. Furthermore, it also highlights the schisms within feminism where there are several feminist positions at odds with each other. Atwood critiques this by creating a dystopia where women are a key part of their sisters’ subjugation.

In Gilead, most women have very little contact with men. Women are expected to support one another through times of birth, death and sickness. Women even teach each other about this new regime. In addition to this, within a household, women work together to achieve the characteristics of their gender. The Handmaid’s sole purpose is to have baby’s with the commander, the Marthas main purpose is to be a household servant – ranking higher than that of a Handmaid. The Aunt is the highest working women role and their job is to educate other women about the regime. Lastly, the role of the commanders’ wife is mainly to stand behind the commander as a prop/accessory and take part in “ceremonies”. One of the most important beliefs in The Handmaid’s Tale is the idea that living solely with women would solve many of the problems women were currently facing.

It is important to note that before Gilead, Offred didn’t really consider herself a feminist. This is because she feared feminism would alienate and separate herself from men. Now there is a sense that Offred is beginning to understand that feminism only forces women to recognize their natural alienation from men.

On page 67 Offred mentions that “we live in the gaps between the stories” this is largely referring to how articles and news stories will discuss the many issues of the repression of women and the power imbalance between the genders and domestic politics, yet nothing is ever really done about it. Often times, when people read things about these problems if it has nothing to do with them they will tend to move it to one side and ignore the issues that are present. Hence, going back to the idea that Atwood’s main intention, as a widely viewed feminist writer, is to critique feminism through the lens of The Handmaid’s Tale.