What Is the Role of the Chorus in Medea Essay - 680 Words

In Medea an essential character is the chorus of Corinthian women. They help obtain Euripides truly genius paradox of achieving empathy from the readers for a mother who sheds her own childrens blood. One of the major turning points in the play is when Medea asks for the chorus of womens silence as she contrives an evil plot to gain revenge. They agree immediately and are henceforth wrapped up in the play and the malicious plot. This I promise. You are right, Medea, / In paying your husband back. I am not surprised at you / For being sad (265 - 266). Through stasimons throughout the play they embody everywoman and represent the feelings of the female Greek world. The first stasimon is a plea for all women to unite in the†¦show more content†¦The Chorus still feels pity for Medea, shown later in the stasimon when they imagine the destitute that she is about to endure. Medea has become an outcast from both her homeland and her newly adopted home. This hopelessness makes her even more the perfect target for the choruss pity. Their maternal instincts want nothing more than to comfort the poor Medea. The first time where the chorus begins to truly doubt Medea is in the third satsimon. O, over and over I beg you, / By your knees I beg you do not / Be the murderess of your babes (829 - 831)! The chorus begs and pleads with Medea not to kill her children. They confirm that this kind of behavior was not acceptable even in the most ancient of times. Revenge is expected, but the bloodshed of your own flesh is not expected nor accepted. The stasimon sung after Medea has persuaded Jason to let their children offer gifts to his new bride, shows the choruss initial sympathy for Medea has now transferred to sympathy for her soon-to-be victims. They mourn for the children, the bride, and they even have a few words of condolence for Jason. You too, O wretched bridegroom, making your match with kings (964). They had once sympathized with Medea who called for them claiming they must unite together as women. The Chorus realizes that Medea is not a good model or representation of women as a whole. She often portrays male like qualities such as her barbarian behavior, clever reputation, andShow MoreRelated The Importance of the Role That the Chorus Plays in Euripedes’ Medea1142 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Role That the Chorus Plays in Euripedes’ Medea The Chorus is very much an important part of Euripedes’ Medea, and indeed many other works written in the ancient Greek style. In this play, it follows the journey Medea makes, and not only narrates, but commentates on what is happening. Euripedes uses the Chorus as a literary device to raise certain issues, and to influence where the sympathies of the audience lie. 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