Medea Journal #1: What is the role of the chorus in Medea?
The chorus is interesting in the amount of sympathy it has for Medea. In Oedipus, the chorus gave overviews of what happened, but there seemed to be a disconnect. Oedipus was a twisting, confusing play, however. The chorus was necessary in order to keep everything straight, and I think that was its primary role. But in Medea, the chorus is like a trusted friend of Medea, whispering its sympathies in our ear. Euripides does this because the story begins with Jason leaving Medea and Medea mourning this. There was a lot of backstory to this event happening, in which Medea saves Jason twice, even killing her own brother. Then Jason leaves her for another woman, and Medea is frighteningly angry. If one did not know the backstory, one might think that Medea is unreasonably angry, and ther would be no sympathy for her. But the chorus provides this, and pity is put into place. But then Euripides twists our feelings again, as Medea lashes out on her sons. The audience feels pity and fear at the same time, the sign of a true tragedy. The chorus is an important role in this precarious balancing act, as the provider of sympathy.

Journal #5: How does Sophocles evoke fear and pity in the reader/audience and what significance does this have?

Pity and fear are very necessary in tragedies. Catharsis is crucial to giving the audience pleasure in watching characters suffer in the play. That way, people will keep coming back to watch it. Pity is brought about by characters receiving misfortune that resulted from a lack of judgement. Oedipus wrongly leaves his fake parents when he hears the oracle, and he kills a man that he had no inkling could be his father. The character loses his dignity, evoking buckets of pity. He fights elements that are outside his control, like the fact that he was born of different people than he thought, and loses, spectacularly. People feel pity in the play because they fear that their dignity can be taken away as well. Oedipus's fall from grace is, ironically, graceful, and deserved. A character receiving underved suffering is not tragic, it is sad. Tragedy is not about sadness.

Journal #4: Tracking Eyes

The image of eyes have been repeated several times throughout the play. Teiresias makes comments about eyes several times when he tells Oedipus of his fate. "He that came seeing, blind shall he go... When you can prove me wrong, then call me blind." This is paradoxical, because Teiresias himself is blind. Sophocles uses eyes to portray knowlege. Teiresias is blind, but he can see much about life. Oedipus has his vision, but he is arrogant and prideful, and discovers his fate too late. When he learns his fate, he blinds himself, reflecting Teiresias. Oedipus's path to blindness reflects his descent to a pitiful situation and a loss of dignity that tragedies specialize in. "What should I do with eyes where all is ugliness?" Oedipus says these words after he blinds himself. He discovered that he impregnated his mother four times and murdered his father. Everything he would see would remind him of the disgusting things he did, and he did not want to face his troubles. Sophocles lowers Oedipus to the most base of characters.

Journal #3: What is the role of the gods?

Oedipus is almost constantly concerned about the gods and the oracle. He bases his entire life on what the oracle said to him and his father. The oracle said that he would kill his father and marry his mother, so this fear occupies Oedipus' mind constantly. The thought that he may control his own decisions and destiny does not cross his mand, so the gods play an eminent role in the play. This complete reliance on gods is surprising, and it seems like the Grecians do not want to accept responsibility for their actions, instead saying that their fate was decided by a higher power. Certain characters speak to gods who control whatever the character wants changed. So it's as if Grecians go up to a fast food restaurant and order what they want.

Journal #2: Is Oedipus a proficient leader?

Oedipus is looking out for number 1 in his eyes. So far, he has accused his good friend of conspiring against him, because he thinks Creon told Teiresias that Oedipus was the murderer. None of this was based on fact, and the chorus knows that Oedipus is being unreasonable. So far, my opinion of Oedipus is not too great. He is rash, argumentative and proud. Creon seems very level-headed, giving a good argument to his case. Creon makes Oedipus look ridiculous.

Oedipus Journal #1: Page-by-Page Summary

pg. 25: Oedipus wonders why his subjects are mourning in front of his palace.
pg. 26: The priest says the subjects are suffering, and they need Oedipus' help.
pg. 27: Oedipus says he suffers when his subjects suffer, as Creon returns with advice from Apollo.
pg. 28: Creon says that the prior king was murdered and that his murderer must be brought to justice.
pg. 29: Not much evidence was given to find the murderer, but Oedipus vows to find him.
pg. 30: The chorus prays for the suffering to end.
pg. 31: Oedipus orders the chorus to tell him if they know anything about the murderer.