- How does Medea characterise her suffering to the audience in her initial address?
When Medea is first heard by the audience she is not seen on stage. Phrases such as “If only I were dead!” and “Death take you (her children), along with your father, and perish his whole house!” may lead the audience to initially believe that the character is illogically angry and is dramatically crazy. The phrase ‘If only I were dead’ reflects a sense of self-hatred as it showcases Madea not wanting to continue living. Madea goes on to wish death upon her children and their father. The notion further strengthens the perception of Madea as an unhinged character. Wanting to inflict such grave levels of harm upon one’s own children can be seen as an unsympathetic and illogical train of thought. The idea of wanting your children to die is heavily looked down upon especially when regarding greek women during the time. The idea of collectivism within Greece was emphasised— women were expected to take care of their husbands and children— hence by Madea wishing death upon her children, greek audience members at the time would have a negative initial perception of the character as she goes against the greek societal expectations of women.
Many of her initial lines were in the form of exclamations. During the time, women were expected to be gentle and graceful especially in public. Hence, the outburst of sadness and anger can be seen to be unconventional during the time. The notion of going against societal expectations can further strengthen the audiences dislike towards the character.
Madea’s initial appearance is juxtaposed within her monologue. When Madea is first seen by the audience the stage directions indicate that ‘She is not shaken with weeping, but cool and slef-possessed’. Within her monologue, she presents sound arguments regarding the reason for her anger and frustration. Modern audiences can resonate with her story as it presents gender injustices which are still present in modern-day society. For example, it is more acceptable for men to remarry than women, if a man leaves a woman, it seems as though the woman did something wrong.
The author is able to highlight gender injustices present in society through the juxtaposition of Madea’s inherent characteristics.
