Outline of MEDEA

Prologue (1-130)

The part of the play before the entrance of the chorus. In Euripides the prologue usually starts with a monologue telling us exactly where we are in the story and giving the background both historical and emotional; often the opening monologue is followed by a dialogue.

Nurse (monologue); Nurse, Paedagogus (in dialogue)

Entrance of the man from the outside: the structure of every scene (a man from the outside in dialogue with a woman.

Medea (within)

* Summary of Medea's career (by Nurse)

= the children are brought in

Parodos (131-212)

The entrance song of the chorus. The chorus enters the orchestra via the two long parodoi (also called eisodoi). This particular parodos is unusual in that it is an exchange between the chorus and characters on the stage.

Medea (within), Nurse, Chorus

Nurse is at the door of the house to receive the chorus while Medea cries out her pain from inside.  A strange, operatic scene.

@Concern, sympathy for, response to Medea

First Episode (213-409)

Episodes are the spoken parts between odes (or stasima). Most tragedies have four or five episodes.

Medea and chorus

Medea goes public and wins over the chorus as a woman among women.

@Women’s wrongs

Medea and Creon

Creon punishes Medea by exiling her from Corinth.

+ fatherland and children -- exile

^supplication

First Stasimon (410-445)

A stasimon is a choral ode, consisting of strophes and antistrophes (stanzas and answering stanzas in which the chorus sings and dances a strophic pair in identical meter and steps, perhaps with the antistrophe reversing the movement of the strophe).

Chorus sings and mimes about the reversal of things

@response to Medea’s political speech of episode 1; preparation for the arrival of Jason.

Second Episode (446-626)

Jason and Medea

Jason and Medea meet for the first time for a scene of blame: each blames the other.

*screaming battleground — review of the past

Second Stasimon (627-662)

Chorus on immoderate loves;  a)mhxani/a ("helplessness").

+ fatherland and exile

Third Episode (663-823)

Aegeus and Medea

Medea's PLANS  (bouleu/mata)

Until the middle, she does not control the entrances.  After Aegeus everyone is either sent for by her or comes in response to what she has done. Promise of asylum.

^supplication

Third Stasimon (824-865)

Chorus on Athens the land of moderation

Political theme.

^supplication

Fourth Episode (866-975)

Jason and Medea

"reconciliation" — the reverse of episode two

= Paedagogus leaves with children

Fourth Stasimon (976-1001)

Chorus on the murders and the robe.

Sympathy for the princess, Jason, and Medea

Fifth Episode (1002-1250)

Paedagogus and Medea

= Paedagogus returns with children

Choral song on women's Muse and the virtues of childlessness

Messenger

= Death of Creon's child (and Creon): Medea punishes Creon

Fifth Stasimon (1251-1292)

Chorus and children (within) The Murder of the children

^supplication

Exodos (1293-1414) and choral tag (1414-19)

Jason, Medea on mhxanh/ ["machine"]

* Summary of Medea's career by Jason; prediction of Jason's demise.

Establishment of cult of Hera Akraia.

= dead children