How Euripides Medea Illustrates Aristotles Elements of Tragedy - Essay Example

Aristotle’s theory in Poetics outlines a clear and complete description of a tragedy and its six elements. In this essay, I will analyze Euripides’ Medea and two of Aristotle’s elements: plot structure, and character within the play. The analysis will include Aristotle’s aspects of a high standard tragedy, looking at the organization of the events in the play, and the exploration of the character of Medea in connection with Aristotle’s characters.

       Medea’s actions are consistent throughout the whole play and are more likely to be predictable-as sudden or reversal. Aristotle states that the main sequence of the tragedy is found in the plot– structure; which represents the goal of the whole tragedy, and without this structure, the poet cannot achieve the aim of the tragedy or make an impression of terror or pity. In The Poetics, Aristotle also describes the necessity of a ‘simple action’ and the unity that is followed by reversal or recognition, or, in perfect combination with both actions, which are pitifully and fearfully structured in accordance with probability or necessity. Throughout the play, the tension is created by the amassment of revenge in Medea, however, it does not reach Aristotle’s definition of a complex plot. Even though Medea had thought about the revenge on Jason from the start of the play, Creon’s response to her misery convinces her to fulfill her plan and kill the daughter of Creon. Accordingly, this is a good example of a predictable action, and therefore the point at which Euripides fails to achieve the effective structure of events- which should be the soul of the tragedy.

The deaths of the royal princess and her father Creon, are foreseeable, and therefore obvious to the reader. However, the only tragic moment that stirs the emotions- pity and/or fear, is when Medea murders her own children. This bears semblance to Aristotle’s theory of a decent tragedy. Medea’s wish to revenge Jason provokes the death of the innocent – their dear children. According to Aristotle’s theory, the audience or the reader should experience certain emotions that could be defined as pleasure or catharsis, which could be explained as having a purifying effect on the soul.3   Watching or reading the scene where Medea kills her children, has the power to trigger such emotions in the audience, and consequently drive them into relating the nature of the gruesome scene with their experiences in life, in connection with death, and/or losing a relative.

        Likewise, steadily throughout the structure of the play, Medea’s character plays a consistent role. Her behavior reveals a determined woman who is clear in her thoughts and certain of what she wants to achieve. As stated in The Poetics of Aristotle, characters should support the play by having a moral purpose, being good and independent in their decision, and remaining consistent in their actions.4 Even though Medea harbors certain doubts about her plan, her character nonetheless, remains steady and sticks to her goals using her wisdom against Jason and the king of Corinth. Medea’s character is representative of strong women who strive to stand against the ancient Corinthian’s, not to mention standing for her children, as well as for her past and future, without fearing the fact that her children might be harshly judged or even be abused, in the same manner, that she had been by her husband.5 Besides the steadiness of character, Aristotle indicates an essential point for a good character; which is that the poet should always try to achieve necessity or probability, which is clearly shown in Medea’s actions, and which as a result governs the events of the play.6 Though Medea’s behavior might seem dishonorable and immoral for most of us, to the contrary, her character acts with a truly moral purpose, the trigger of which, being her husband’s betrayal through marrying another woman and avoiding their children. In addition, Medea tried to invoke the gods to witness the behavior of Jason, however, at the end of the play, her character is taken away with a chariot sent by the gods. Read More