Introduce of Western Literature: Week 12

Euripides' Medea

Introduction of Euripides.
Euripides was the last of the three great tragedians of classical Greece(the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles).Largely due to an accident of history,eighteen of Euripides' ninety-five plays have survived in a complete form, along with fragments(some substantial)of many of his other plays.He is known primarily for having reshaped the formal structure of traditional Greek tragedy by showing strong female characters and intelligent slaves,and by satirizing many heroes of Greek mythology. He is considered to be the most socially critical of all the ancient Greek tragedians,and his plays seem quite modern in comparison with those of his contemporaries.

Introduction of Medea.
Medea,The role of women in the art of Ancient Greek.Medea lived in the period just before the Trojan War,about 1200 B.C.E,if in fact she was a mortal.She may have been a goddess and there is some indication that she was worshipped as such.She was the daughter of Aeetes,king of Colchis,and his wife Eidya. Eidya was the grandaughter of Helios and sister to Circe.When Jason came to Colchis after the golden fleece. Medea fell in love with him.Medea used her powers to help Jason and fled with him to Greece.she used herbs to restore Jason's father to health,and she used this example to kill his persecutor Pelias in Lolchus.Medea and Jason were driven from Lolchus and settled in Corinth.Jason became invloved with the princess of Corinth and Medea, in a jealous rage ,killed the princess,the king and her own children.

Vocabulary.

1.Assemblies:集合

2.Orchestra:管弦樂隊

3.Argo:Jason求取金羊毛所乘之船

4.Colchis:科爾基斯

5.Golden Fleece:金羊毛(希臘神話中出現的一件寶物)

6.Barbarian:野蠻人

7.Aeson:埃宋

8.Argonauts:阿爾戈英雄(指希臘神話中跟隨伊阿宋乘坐快船“阿爾戈”取金羊毛的50位英雄)

9.Pelias:珀利阿斯(約爾科斯國王)

10.Capture:俘虜

11.Contemporary:同時代的人

12.Turmoil:混亂

13.Controversial:有爭議的

14.Cleverness:聰明

15.Wrangling:爭吵

16.Purgation:洗罪

17.Brutes:人面獸心的人

18.Lustful:貪慾的

19.Myths:神話

20.Fleece:羊毛

21.Enchantress:女巫