Research Question of Medea Play by Euripides

Table of Contents

Central Research Problem
Topics of Study
Relevance
Research Literature
Annotated Bibliography
Works Cited

Central Research Problem

Interest in the study of the political and spiritual freedom of the individual is growing, the problems of human society and the connections on which it is based are becoming more evident. As shown in the text of the play, the modern human self also claims its rights when it feels that it is constrained by bonds that seem artificial to it. With the help of persuasion and the means of reason, it seeks concessions and exits. Marriage also becomes a subject of discussion and one of the research problems, as well as the relationship of the sexes and the struggle for independence.

Topics of Study

The tragedy of Medea was staged on the Athenian stage in Ancient Greece, and however, despite the date of the plays narration, the work does not lose its relevance in the modern world. The space reveals the soul of a person tormented by internal struggle. Without embellishing reality, the characters are realistic, and in life, passion often takes precedence over duty. In addition, after the fundamental ethical principle of mutual love is ignored and canceled by main characters lover, she defends her feminine rights and goes beyond the morally acceptable. Medea reveals such research topics as the opportunity to free oneself, become independent, and achieve all goals.

Relevance

The plays author always acts as a profound psychologist, showing a storm of passions in Medeas soul, as a person with feelings and emotions. The conflict in her soul between love for children and jealousy for her husband, between passion and a sense of duty, is known to many now. In many Greek and Roman plays, the focus is on the tragedy of the individual its internal struggle, which sometimes becomes one of the significant springs in the dynamics of the action. The main merit of the authors is to portray not an ideal person, but a vicious one who suffers and commits terrible crimes, to show a real person the way he or she is. Events develop in such a way that human suffering comes to the fore, so the work is of particular value for research. Medeas analysis helps illustrate what toxic love, personality repression, and passion can do to a person.

Research Literature

During my independent research, I read some chapters of textbooks and articles on the topic. To better understand the problems of history, I need to study the myth of Medea and compare versions of plays from different authors their interpretations. Thus, having a superficial understanding of the topic presented in the image of the main character, it is necessary to reveal the main characteristics of the heroine as a woman in the first place. To do this, I will need to study the social factors of those times and compare them with the present. As a basis for my research, I looked at the content of articles describing human emotions and womens struggle for their rights. I also plan to study several articles that reveal the influence of external factors, such as social pressure, on the formation and development of the individual.

The methodology that I will use in my research involves scientific sampling. In using this method, I will select non-fiction related to the study and interpretation of the play. Scientific literature at this stage includes textbooks on mythology scientific works of authoritative authors. The following method in my research is the analysis of the selected literature. Based on this method, conclusions are drawn about how well certain aspects have been studied, on which there is a significant fund of scientific works, and which ones are still under study. When using this method, collective monographs, articles, essays, notes, and more are considered.

Annotated Bibliography

Ackah, Kofi. Euripides Medea and Jason: A Study in the Social Power of Love. Phronimon, vol. 18, no. 1, 2017, Web.

In Akahs study, the primary attention is directed to the problem of the socio-psychological point of view on love. The article is helpful for my research since the author suggests that in intimate relationships, the desirable one tends to exercise social power to dominate the relationship. That, in turn, affects the characters personalities and emphasizes the importance of fighting for their rights. As a result, this article will be helpful for my research.

Dafni, Evangelia G. Medea of Euripides and The Old Testament: Cultural Critical Remarks with Special Reference to the Background of the Septuagint. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, vol. 76, no. 4, 2020, Web.

In her article, Dafni focuses on the interpretation of the Medea play and similar concepts in The Old Testament. At the same time, Dafni talks about the role of women in society, in the family, and marriage. She highlights how womens right to self-determination was previously perceived, namely the freedom to physical and mental integrity and bodily and mental autonomy. The work aims to analyze individual moments in which, according to the author, there are references to Biblical motifs. This article is one of the most important for developing my work.

Sanders, Ed. The Emotions of Medea: An Introduction. Greece and Rome, vol. 68, no. 1, 2021, pp. 17., Web.

Sanders argues in his article that ancient Greek and Roman emotions should be studied in more detail. The goal was to analyze Medea by representing her emotional and psychological state, which provide motivation(s) for her actions. The author takes into account the dynamics of diversity to obtain possible benefits for the organization. Thus, Sanders emphasizes the importance of the characters psychological, physiological, and behavioral state. This article can also be used to develop my research.