Euripides: Journal 3

Elements of Tragedy

Oedipus vs. Medea

Thesis: Sophocles uses Oedipus' supposed innocence to evoke fear and pity from the audience while Euripides uses Medea's actions to evoke fear and pity, however both characters get to thier conclusions by believing that they are correct.

Oedipus does not know of his past, making him seem innocent, the events that take place evokes fear because it shows the audience that they could have done terrible things without even knowing it, and it evokes pity because they feel sorry for Oedipus because his life seemed so perfect and he was so well loved and it turns our his life is really really messed up. But by denying Tiresius' prophecy, Oedipus made things worse for himself because by trying to find out the truth he found out his entire past and that led to his downfall.

Medea's actions make her seem ruthless, and evoke fear by showing the audience what a scorned women is capable of and how if a person is pushed far enough they are willing to kill anyone for revenge. Medea's story evokes pity because of why she has done this, her husband whom she has sacrificed everything for has abandonded her and their two sons to be with a princess. Medea believes that she must take revenge because it is her right, this leads to her ultimate downfall.