My lovely computer got a virus - internet access was very slim, so all of my journals from the past few days will be posted on this post. Still in order, but not as organized as it would have been.

Journal Eight
Compare the elements of tragedy in Medea and Oedipus. Look specifically at at the use of catharsis.

The elements of tragedy in Medea and Oepidus differ in that the use of catharsis is in opposite parts of the plays. In Oepdipus, the audience does not feel pity for him until the end of the play, and Medea starts off with the audience fearing her instantly. Though these are both at different parts of each play, the element of tragedy is just as strong in both. The fact that we do not pity Oedipus at first builds tension and suspense, creating even more sympathy towards him in the end because we know how much fate played into his life and how much it is not his fault. The instant fear in Medea creates tragedy because we know how angry Medea is and how her actions are not reasonable because of that. We then feel pity for her towards the end because Medea's anger is what drove her, as our fear of her turns into pity because throughout the play we learn more about her and her situation.

Journal Seven
Compare and contrast Jason and Medea's interactions and attitudes towards the gods.

Jason sees the gods as people who serve him, and he expects them to help him when he needs them, whereas Medea sort of sees them as her friend, people who help guide her and help her when they think she needs help. "It was Aphrodite and no one else [...] who saved me on my voyage" (line 528). Jason believes that he was only saved because a god saved him, and no other reason.

Journal Six
Comapre the role of the chorus in Medea and Oedipus.



The role of the chorus in Oedipus seemed to be just for the audience's purpose. The chorus summarized what happened in the play, occasionally foreshadowed, and was completely seperate from the play itself. It's as if the chorus was just a commentator, showing the play-by-play. However, in Medea, the chorus played a bigger role in the actual play. They interacted with the characters, and even felt for them, especially Medea. They seemed sympathetic towards her whereas in Oedipus they had no emotions towards the characters.


Journal Five
Sophocles provokes fear in the audience in that though we may not all be a king, we all posess the ability to have a certain amount of power, and that it is up to ourselves to control the consequences that come with have power. Oedipus is an example of a man who takes advantage of his power to the extreme, thus bringing his downfall. We fear that this may happen to us, if we take our power for granted and have too much pride in ourselves. Sophocles provokes pity in the audience not just because Jocasta and Oedipus punish themselves, but because it was not their fault for having the need to be punished. They were merely a victim of fate, and they didn't even sit back and accept it; they fought fate hard, but fate fought them back and won.