- 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.
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