Medea Essay
Clara Williams Roldan
1000 words

“In theatre what is not said is as significant as the spoken word” The use of dramatic devices in theatre is what separates plays from other genres of writing. Through what is not said, the audience is able to more fully understand the plot and characters within the work. However, this alone cannot convey everything, dialogue between characters or monologues are essential for communication between the characters and audience. Without the spoken word, there is no play. Therefore when looking at theatre, what is not said supports and adds meaning to all that is.  

In Euripides’ Medea, the audience is told the story of a woman scorned by her husband, Jason, as he takes a new wife, after she has sacrificed her home and murdered for him. We witness her tale of revenge, in which she kills his new bride and father-in-law, and then her own sons, before fleeing. Throughout the play, the author uses dramatic devices to enhance what is said, and stress certain traits within characters. In the entrances of both the Chorus and Medea, we are able to see how these devices complement and allow greater understanding of the verbal elements of the play.

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When the Chorus enters, it is important to note that the audience has not yet seen Medea. They have however, heard her tale of woe from a sympathetic voice; the Nurse. This dramatic device allows the author to build sympathy for Medea before she is revealed, and further build suspense within the play, as the audience waits to finally view their protagonist. The entrance of the Chorus to a near empty stage is key in achieving this, as they are a trademark of Greek theatre. They symbolise a group within society, representing prevailing morals and attitudes. They are the device ...

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