Spectacle In Medea By Euripide

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Spectacle can be defined as “visually striking performance or display”. It is directly associated with the eyes, the act of viewing or looking at something. In regards to theatre spectacle serves as the middle man between the eyes and the senses of the individual spectator. The response to spectacle varies based on the spectator. The appeal of spectacle is conceived from its ability to captivate the audience and grab hold of the viewer’s gaze. This can be done with the presentation of violence, admiration, sorrow etc. It is able to produce unnatural tension. According to Aristotle, for a tragedy to reach its “finest form” it must arouse fear and pity. With the use of Euripides’s Medea I
The play in all entirety is a major spectacle but Medea’s burning desire for revenge was what captivated viewers the most. As spectators we watch with fascination and horror how the series of events unfold. The chorus also watches Medea’s cutthroat destruction of her enemies. Some might perceive this as an unsettling spectacle. Nonetheless the genius and cunningness of her action is revered not only b...

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