Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Period:_____
Medea Study Guide
Reading Schedule:
Reading should be completed before class on the day listed. Remember to read the endnotes!
Date Due
October 12
Reading Sections
Prologue/Episode 1
Line Numbers
Lines 1 – Lines 408
October 14
1ST Stasimon, Episode 2, 2nd Stasimon, Episode 3
Lines 409 – 822
October 18
3rd Stasimon, Episode 4, 4th Stasimon, Episode 5
Lines 823 – 1080
October 21
Astrophic Choral Song, 5th Stasimon, Exodos
Lines 1081 – 1418 (end)
Vocabulary: Define the following words & write a sentence containing the word (you may add suffixes).
1. Assuage (184):__________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence:___________________________________________________________________
2. Clairvoyant (263):______________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
3. Irreparable (307):_______________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
4. Disbarred (433):________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
5. Placate (486):__________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
6. Banishment (492):_______________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
7. Writhe (503):__________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: _____________________________________________________________________
8. Smitten (593):__________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
9. Plausibly (621) :________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
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10. Blights (644):__________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
11. Obstinate (902):________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
12. Futile (913): ___________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
13. Engender (1126): _______________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
14. Cower (1316): _________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
15. Abominable (1344): _____________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
16. Loathed (1345): ________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
17. Brazen (1367): _________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
18. Retaliation (1381): ______________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
19. Orthodoxy: ____________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
20. Sophistry: _____________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
21. Feminism: _____________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence: ___________________________________________________________________
22. Misogyny: ____________________________________________________________________________
Example Sentence:___________________________________________________________________
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Literary & Historical Terms: Define the following terms & give an example of the term in Medea.
Examples of each term in Medea:
1. Protagonist:
2. Hamartia:
1.
3. Hubris:
2.
4. Catharsis:
3.
5. Anagnorisis:
4.
6. Peripeteia:
5.
7. Catastrophe:
6.
8. Monologue:
7.
8.
9. Rhetorical Question:
9.
10. Complication:
10.
11. In Medias Res:
11.
12. Deus ex Machina:
12.
13.
13. Rhetoric:
14.
14. Dionysia:
15.
15. Conflict:
a.
a. Man vs. Man (society)
b.
b. Man vs. Self
c.
c. Man vs. God
d. Man vs. Nature
d.
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Comprehension Questions:
Reading Section #1
Prologue/Episode 1
Summary of lines 1-408:
1) At the beginning of Jason and Medea's marriage, there was peace and harmony. What did Medea do to
cause this peace? (19)
2) Things have drastically changed, though. Why have things changed, and what is the present situation in
Jason and Medea's household? (24-25; 30-32;42)
3) What news does Tutor bring to Nurse? (71-72)
4) What does the Nurse seem scared of Medea doing? (94-97)
5) Explain what the Nurse means in line 120. Why does she say this?
6) What message does the Chorus have for Medea? (165-166)
7) How does Medea describe her own feelings to the Chorus? (249-250)
8) Medea describes the difficult life of a woman. Summarize her speech here.
9) According to Medea, what makes her situation even worse than a woman of Corinth who has been
cheated on? (281)
10) What does Creon announce when he comes to see Medea? (296-297)
11) What are the reasons behind Creon's decree? (306-307; 311-312)
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12) What arguments does Medea make to Creon to let her stay in Corinth? (330-363;367-368)
13) What does Creon swear to Medea? (374-376)
14) What does Medea reveal in her speech to the Chorus after Creon leaves?
15) What does Jason blame Medea for? (480)
16) Medea recounts her life with Jason. Why does she do this? What is the point she is making here?
Reading Section #2
1ST Stasimon, Episode 2, 2nd Stasimon, Episode 3
Summary of lines 409-822:
15) How does Jason defend himself to Medea? (557-558, 600)
16) Does Medea believe him? Why or why not?
17) What does Medea offer Aegeus in return for shelter? (758)
18) What does Aegeus agree to? (755-757;791-793)
19) Summarize Medea's plan in your own words.
20) After the Chorus hears Medea's plan, what is their judgment of her?
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Reading Section #3
3rd Stasimon, Episode 4, 4th Stasimon, Episode 5
Summary of lines 823-1080:
21) Explain Medea's internal conflict.
22) According to Medea, why does man (and woman) act evilly? (Episode 5; page 26)
Reading Section #4
Astrophic Choral Song, 5th Stasimon, Exodos
Summary of lines 1081 – 1418 (end):
23) What does Medea say to the messenger that is a sign of how truly evil she is? (1124)
24) Why does Medea decide that she must kill her children? (1070-1080)
25) What does the Chorus predict for Medea? (1115 or 1255)
26) When Jason enters, how does he find Medea? (1315)
27) According to Jason, what is true about Medea that could have allowed her to kill her own children?
(1361, 1365)
28) What is the last thing Jason wants from Medea? Does she grant him this? Why or why not? (13771380, 1399-1402)
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