Sympathy For Medea And The Chorus example essay topic

The Chorus influences our response to Medea and her actions in both a positive and negative manner. The Chorus, a body of approximately fifteen Corinthian women who associate the audience with the actors, is able to persuade and govern us indirectly through sympathy for what has been done to Medea, a princess of Colchis and the victim of her husband's betrayal of love for another woman. The Chorus also lead us to through sympathy for Medea to accept her decision of taking revenge on princess Glauce and Jason. On the other hand the Corinthian women influence us and our responses towards Medea negatively by pleading to her when she decides to kill the children later in the story. A way the Chorus influences our response to have pity and to give sympathy to Medea and her situation is by explaining and acquainting us of Medea's plight. "I heard her voice, I heard that unhappy woman from Colchis still crying, not calm yet".

(Page 21) And again "I heard her sobbing and wailing, shouting shrill, pitiful accusations against her husband who has betrayed her. She invokes Themis, daughter of Zeus, who witnessed those promises which drew her across from Asia to Hellas, setting sail at night, threading the salt strait, key and barrier to the Pontic Sea". (Page 23) Here the Chorus is giving us the situation where Medea has travelled from distant lands and has given up her life to be with Jason who in turn betrays her. They also tell us of how Medea is reacting to her situation; this appeals to us to give sympathy for Medea and to favour her but lets our feelings decide if we should feel sorry. Once the Chorus has explained the wrongs that have been done they accept Medea's decision to seek revenge on Jason therefore leading us to also accept Medea's decision". I'll do as you ask.

To punish Jason will be just". (Page 25) Another method the Chorus portrays is by governing or telling us how we should feel in an indirect manner. In the scene where Medea has reached a dead end and has no-where and no-one to turn to the Chorus says". Medea, poor Medea! Your grief touches our hearts. A wanderer, where can you turn?

To what welcoming house? To what protecting land? How wild with dread and danger is the sea where the gods have set your course!" (Page 28) The Chorus explains to us that Medea has nothing to lose, that her situation is bleak and in some way forces us to feel sorry for Medea and to favour her. After the scene where Medea and Jason argue, the Chorus speaks more of Medea's hopeless situation. "Dragging out an intolerable life in desperate helplessness! That is the most pitiful of all griefs; death is better.

Should such a day come to me I pray for death first". (Page 36) The group of Corinthian women prefer death rather than exist through Medea's situation. They move us to pity Medea. "You, Medea, have suffered the most shattering of blows... ". (Page 37) Here we are brought to attention that Medea has been dealt the harshest of blows and we agree with the Chorus' words, another example of the Chorus convincingly influences our views.

While the Chorus influence us to consider Medea positively they also influence us negatively. The Corinthian women plead to Medea to rethink her future plans to kill the children and also while she is killing them. "Since you have told us everything, and since I want to be your friend, and also uphold the laws of human life - I tell you, you must not do this... But - to kill your own children! Can you steel your heart?" (Page 42) The audience is brought into attention the ethics of human society; we start to feel pity rather that sympathy for Medea and the Chorus shows us how we should respond to Medea's actions. "Do you hear?

The children are calling for help. O cursed, miserable woman!" (Page 56) The Chorus becomes the speaker and portrays our feelings of pity and detest. They influence us to have mercy on the children and they reduce our sympathy we feel for Medea. The Chorus plays a major role in the response of the audience; they can affect our feelings towards Medea positively or negatively. The Corinthian women influence us to feel either sympathy or pity for Medea and are leaders or examples as they show us how we should respond in a certain scene or situation. They portray Medea's plight to forward their sympathy for Medea and thus influencing our response to favour her.

The Chorus also bring up the subjects of human life to persuade us to not accept the decision of Medea killing her own children..