Summary:
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 children's blood. One of the major themes of Medea is the position of women. Medea herself constantly gripes about the treatment of her gender.
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 children's blood. One of the major turning points in the play is when Medea asks for the chorus of women's 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 face of a greater enemy - men. The chorus takes the voice of everywoman and unites with Medea in agreement that the oppression they undergo is wrong and must be stopped. "And let the world's great order be reversed. / It is the thoughts of men that are deceitful" (408 - 409). They represent the general feeling of Greece at this time. Earlier in the play they agree with Medea's grieving about the sorrows of womanhood. It is not a happy life - even if one is lucky enough to have "bought" a husband. A woman of that time is forced to stay at home and tend to the children, never having the chance to go out and interact with a friend of their own age. The chorus shows that Medea is not odd in being unsatisfied with her life, but that it was a common sentiment.
The second stasimon is still in the voice of every woman but perhaps earlier in life, as a yet unmarried woman. The chorus speaks of the hope that they will not be struck with such desire for a man, for surly no good can come of it. "Oh goddess, never on me let loose the unerring / Shaft of your bow in poison of desire" (620 - 621).
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 chorus's 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 chorus's 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, and adherence to the male code of honor and revenge. She is not the leader and spokesperson they had hoped she would be. Unfortunately, they are already bonded by their claim of loyalty and can not escape it now.
Before the gifts are delivered the chorus speaks as if from everywoman again, but this time as more mature. They speak as if from the view of an older woman who has already been subjected to the joys and sorrows of parenthood. They are wise in their years and experience. Here they feel one last twinge of pity for Medea as they relate how children are "the most terrible grief of all" (1089). They know that Medea does want to go through with the crime she is about to commit, but thinks it is necessary in her path towards revenge.
The last stasimon the chorus is forced into even more direct and uncomfortable contact with Medea's revenge. They are interrupted only by the cry of children. Not stopping a crime is as incriminating as carrying one out. The chorus of women has now become guilty due to Medea. Although the women themselves would never engage in such rash behavior in a way they admire Medea for her ruthlessness in obtain the revenge she believes she deserves, otherwise they would have most certainly stopper her. It speaks a lot that although they do not agree with Medea, they do not break their vow of absolute loyalty.
One of the major themes of Medea is the position of women. Medea herself constantly gripes about the treatment of her gender. Athens, the setting of this story and a city that prided itself as free, was nonetheless a city that depended on slave labor and the oppression of women. Medea is a woman who has suffered and has become cruel due to her suffering. The chorus of women, who too are being oppressed, join in on complaining and inevitably take part in the evil. Medea becomes not just a fight for a particular female, but as revenge for the whole gender.
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