When Euripides's Medea, along with three other tragedies and a satyr play (a tetralogy}, were presented at the annual March festival of Dionysus, Euripides did not win the coveted prize; in fact, his tetralogy came in last of the three tetralogies performed that day. This initial reaction, however, has not affected Medea's reputation over the centuries. Euripides's contemporaries did not consider him a master tragedian, and he won only four prizes during his lifetime, although his elder, Sophocles, regarded him as a master playwright and ordered that the participants in the next Dionysian festival after Euripides's death dress in mourning out of respect for him.
A tendency to revive fifth-century plays during the fourth century led to a revised judgment of Euripides. His reputation grew significantly during this period, so much so that Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.).....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 709 words. This
study guide contains 21,156 words (approx. 71 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Medea Access Pass.
