Seneca: Medea

by Helen Slaney, Thomas Harrison (Series Editor)

Composed in early imperial Rome by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Stoic philosopher and tutor to the emperor Nero, the tragedy Medea is dominated by the superhuman energy of its diva, killer, enchantress, force of nature. Seneca's treatment of the myth covers an episode identical to that of Euripides' Greek version, enabling instructive comparisons to be drawn. Seneca's Medea has challenged and fascinated theatre-makers across cultures and centuries and should be regarded as integral to the classical heritage of European theatre.

This companion volume sketches the essentials of Seneca's play and at the same time situates it within an interpretive tradition. It also uses Medea to illustrate key features of Senecan dramaturgy, the way in which language functions as a mode of theatrical representation and the way in which individuals are embedded in their surrounding conditions, resonating dissonantly with the principles of Roman Stoicism.

By interweaving some of the play's subsequent receptions, theatrical and textual, into critical analysis of Medea as dramatic poetry, this companion volume will encourage the student to come to grips immediately with the ancient text's inherent multiplicity. In this way, reception theory informs not only the content of the volume but also, fundamentally, the way in which it is presented.

Genres: Classics

208 pages, Hardcover

Published February 21, 2019

Reviews

[olimpia · Rating 4 out of 5]

per una volta seneca ha cucinato. non do' 5 stelle perché sto cerebroleso non ha capito che la sua protagonista aveva ragione, fuck them kids!!

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent analysis of Medea's character and her history in theatre. If you're as obsessed with Medea as I am, it's a must read.

[clau ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

sometimes u just need some ancient Rome drama to keep on with ur life

[Grace Bailey :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘if my womb even now contains any pledge of our love, i, the mother, will scrape my insides with my sword, i will bring it out with the blade.’

‘how could my childish hands do something truly great? could the rage of a girl do this? now, i am medea. my nature has grown with my suffering.’

‘torture me, make me bleed, weigh down my hands with chains, shut me up in a stony jail for an unending night. my guilt will still outweigh my punishment.’

‘never will my bitter rage fall short of total vengeance […] i will destroy and ruin everything. […] true love is afraid of nobody.’

‘love is chased out by rage and rage by love. resentment, yield to love.’

[Chance Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

A worse version than Eurpidies' Medea. Part of the fascination behind Eurpidies' version is how he elicits a sympathetic reaction to Medea's plight. Our sympathy for Medea is in direct contrast to the horrible crimes she commits. Our minds are conflicted over how we should view Medea. Seneca's Medea has barely any naunce, and thus what makes Medea's story so intriguing is lost. Portraying Medea as a complex character, one who can draw sympathy and repulse readers, is critical in a good adaptation of the story.

[Lucia Vitale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gusta como Medea no es víctima, que se vuelve "loca".
En la versión de Séneca, las dos fuerzas que luchan son internas, las leyes divinas y las de los hombres quedan por fuera del drama. Constante monólogo del protagonista debatiendo que hacer, si el bien o el mal

[Saskia · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ occident, non sunt mei; pereant, mei sunt. “ ICONICO