Status Updates From Medea and Other Plays

fuck you jason

(5 stars for Medea<3 on to the other plays…)

jason kys challenge

HIPPOLYTUS- Genuinely fascinating play. At no point could I guess the next event in the plot. Also, Aphrodite and her escapades against *checks notes* asexuality? Something something the grandson of Poseidon killed by his own horses....

CHILDREN OF HERACLES- A very interesting play. The pacing is very strange- the battle has essentially no time to happen, yet the description of it goes on for about 4 pages. But, the characters are very good in this play. I think Heracles' daughter has probably earned a name by now, it feels ungrateful to her sacrifice to just call her 'Maiden'

MEDEA- It's so interesting how Medea and Jason are essentially switched in their character roles. Medea is the typical 'masculine' avenger and Jason spends a good amount of his stage time weeping. I think killing her children and then appearing as essentially the sun, rising on the day she is meant to be banished- is so compelling. A true power move.

ALCESTIS- To me, this isn't a tragedy, unless the stranger turns out to be not Alcestis, and Admetus does betray her. However, for where it ends no character seems to be punished except for maybe Heracles. But a good play, an a skillful translation all the same

Medea

“Many a time in night's long empty spaces
I have pondered on the causes of a life's shipwreck. [..] There are many who know good sense. We know the good, we see it clear.
But we can't bring it to achievement. Some are betrayed by their own laziness, and others value some other pleasure above virtue.
There are so many pleasures in this lifelong gossiping talks and leisure, that sweet curse.” Phaedra