Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag (1998), 224 pages
Description
Medea is among the most notorious women in the canon of Greek tragedy: a woman scorned who sacrifices her own children to her jealous rage. In her gripping new novel, Christa Wolf explodes this myth, revealing a fiercely independent woman ensnared in a brutal political battle. Medea, driven by her conscience to leave her corrupt homeland, arrives in Corinth with her husband, the hero Jason. He is welcomed, but she is branded the outsider-and then she discovers the appalling secret behind the king's claim to power. Unwilling to ignore the horrifying truth about the state, she becomes a threat to the king and his ruthless advisors; abandoned by Jason and made a public scapegoat, she is reviled as a witch and a murderess. Long a sharp-eyed political observer, Christa Wolf transforms this ancient tale into a startlingly relevant commentary on our times. Possessed of the enduring truths so treasured in the classics, and yet with a thoroughly contemporary spin, her Medea is a stunningly perceptive and probingly honest work of fiction. With an Introduction by Margaret Atwood. Translated from the German by John Cullen.… (more)
Media reviews
"Medea" by Christa Wolf is a retelling of the classical myth of Medea, the sorceress from Greek mythology. In Wolf's version, Medea's story is reimagined from her perspective, offering a feminist reinterpretation that delves into the complexities of power, gender, and colonialism. Through the
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character of Medea, Wolf explores themes of betrayal, vengeance, and the struggle for agency in a patriarchal society, presenting a provocative and thought-provoking examination of ancient myth through a contemporary lens. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member janeajones
In MEDEA, Christa Wolf revisions the tale of Medea in a series of narrations with six voices: Medea; Jason; Glauce, the Corinthian princess; Agameda, Medea's jealous former student; Akamas, King Creon's first astronomer; and Leukon, King Creon's second astronomer. The revisioning is most successful
However, on the level of character development, the novel is disappointing. Wolf, who has written marvelously complex characters in PATTERNS OF CHILDHOOD, THE QUEST FOR CHRISTA T, and ACCIDENT: A DAY'S NEWS, here falls back on stereotypes. Jason is a blustery, somewhat bewildered, adventurer trying to carve out a place in society for himself. Akamas is the ultimate political schemer and operative, reminiscent, perhaps, of Dick Cheney. Although Glauce suffers, not only from epilepsy, but a childhood trauma , she is a simpleton; and Agameda is simply spiteful. Leukon's is the most interesting voice; he has fallen in love with Arethusa, a Cretan gem-cutter and Medea's friend. While he admires the women's independent spirits, he despairs over their inability to understand the fatal challenge they present to the Corinthians' sense of stability. He can do nothing but watch the disaster unfold.
And what of Medea herself? Medea is one of the most fascinating figures in classical mythology and literature -- a Colchian princess, granddaughter of the sun god Helios and Circe's niece, a sorceress who deserts her homeland and family to help Jason retrieve the golden fleece and avenge himself against his uncle, only to be abandoned and betrayed by him in Corinth. Did she murder her brother to help Jason escape from Colchis? Did she murder her young rival? Did she slay her children to avenge herself or save them from a worse fate? Wolf will have none of this -- her Medea is innocent of everything except a residual guilt for leading her countrymen away from Colchis into an environment that increasingly becomes threatening. She is an oddly modern woman claiming an independent spirit, but lacks emotional or intellectual depth. She plays at being a political dissident, a psychologist, a detective -- but ultimately Wolf's Medea is unsatisfying -- the mysterious enigma has been flattened.
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on the level that it reflects and calls to mind current political situtations and practices: the use of propaganda, the "big lie," the scapegoating of immigrant populations, and the inevitable struggles to retain power despite all costs.However, on the level of character development, the novel is disappointing. Wolf, who has written marvelously complex characters in PATTERNS OF CHILDHOOD, THE QUEST FOR CHRISTA T, and ACCIDENT: A DAY'S NEWS, here falls back on stereotypes. Jason is a blustery, somewhat bewildered, adventurer trying to carve out a place in society for himself. Akamas is the ultimate political schemer and operative, reminiscent, perhaps, of Dick Cheney. Although Glauce suffers, not only from epilepsy, but a childhood trauma , she is a simpleton; and Agameda is simply spiteful. Leukon's is the most interesting voice; he has fallen in love with Arethusa, a Cretan gem-cutter and Medea's friend. While he admires the women's independent spirits, he despairs over their inability to understand the fatal challenge they present to the Corinthians' sense of stability. He can do nothing but watch the disaster unfold.
And what of Medea herself? Medea is one of the most fascinating figures in classical mythology and literature -- a Colchian princess, granddaughter of the sun god Helios and Circe's niece, a sorceress who deserts her homeland and family to help Jason retrieve the golden fleece and avenge himself against his uncle, only to be abandoned and betrayed by him in Corinth. Did she murder her brother to help Jason escape from Colchis? Did she murder her young rival? Did she slay her children to avenge herself or save them from a worse fate? Wolf will have none of this -- her Medea is innocent of everything except a residual guilt for leading her countrymen away from Colchis into an environment that increasingly becomes threatening. She is an oddly modern woman claiming an independent spirit, but lacks emotional or intellectual depth. She plays at being a political dissident, a psychologist, a detective -- but ultimately Wolf's Medea is unsatisfying -- the mysterious enigma has been flattened.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
Excellent take on the Medea myth/legend. The people were all believable and there was plenty to think about for modern times as well. My biggest complaint was that Medea (and the rest of the Colchean people?) was described as being black ("dark brown skin", "crinkly" curly hair) which strikes me as
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odd since she came from what is now part of northern Turkey. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmaliaGavea
’I am Medea, the sorceress, if you all will have it so. The wild woman, the foreigner. You shall not belittle me.’’
I’ve always declared-to the dismay of many- that if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Medea. My fascination with this larger-than-life woman has been undiminished ever
’They’ve made what they need out of each of us. Out of you, the Hero, and out of me, the Wicked Witch. They’ve driven us apart like that.’’
People create myths to explain passions, hopes, wishes and inclinations. They need the heroes, the ones who battle against gods and men, as they need the scapegoats responsible when the hero goes astray. What happens when the Hero succeeds only after the Scapegoat has provided the necessary help? Well, noone cares about this tiny detail, all that matters is that the job is done. However, when everything crumbles because of disloyalty and ambition, it’s time for the Scapegoat to be driven out. Medea is either a healer or a bringer of curse. This is what the mob, the ever-changing, witless crowd believes. She is the Other, the Foreigner, the one who threatens the established order with her powers and invocations. Jason is blaming his obsession and lust to Medea, always unwilling to admit what a phony ‘’hero’’ he is. He doesn’t care anymore, the glory is his and it’s time to find a younger, docile wife who would worship him without questions and thoughts of her own…
‘’Is it a comfort to think that people everywhere fall short of the agreements they have made?’’
I feel that this quote expresses the essence of our times extremely accurately. In the outstanding introduction, Margaret Atwood refers to the political and social background and the status quo that shaped Wolf’s work. Coming from the troubled land of former East Germany, it is clear that her political and social views influenced her writing. How could it have been otherwise? Medea was written in 1996, six years after the reunification of Germany, and while reading, one can feel a deep sense of bitterness and intense distrust towards the institution of the state and the authorities. Knowing the political context, Medea becomes much more than a retelling of an ancient legend.
The writing and the characterization are unique. The portrait of Medea is moving, sad, haunting...There are quite a few exceptional descriptions of the city of Corinth and the nightly scenes are eerie, foreboding. Don’t expect any infanticides, gore, violence or sex and the end will surprise you. I will not compare Wolf’s work to Euripides or Seneca. Each one is a different beast, all masterpieces in their own right. However, I know which one I prefer. Wolf’s esoteric, haunting, solemn cry for the truth and for a world that turned out quite different than promised. For the innocent victims of the frustrations of the mighty, the demonization of the weakest links.
‘’Up there in the dark, night-blue sky, like a slightly tilted silver of peel, the crescent moon was still swimming, though on the wane, reminding me of my waning years, my Colchian moon, endowed with the power to pull the sun up over the edge of the earth every morning.’’
I’ve always declared-to the dismay of many- that if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Medea. My fascination with this larger-than-life woman has been undiminished ever
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since I started learning about the ancient, endless, eternal myths of my country from a relatively young age. Call me ‘’weird’’ but dark, controversial figures have accompanied me for the most part of my reading life. It also helped that my mother had the knowledge and the patience to explain to me how myths were made in a society of men, by men and for men. World Culture is loaded with mythical women who have been vilified as an excuse for the stupidity, disloyalty and absolute lack of courage on men’s part. Eve, Medea, Helen of Troy, Pandora, Circe, Phaedra, Jocasta...The list goes on and on….A woman can either be a whore or a saint. Too bad for the ‘’willing’’ ones because the first team makes for the best of stories. In this extraordinary moment in European Literature, Christa Wolf reimagines Medea’s story, focusing on her last days in Corinth and culminating with the death of her sons. The result is a haunting, raw elegy of broken promises and thwarted dreams….’They’ve made what they need out of each of us. Out of you, the Hero, and out of me, the Wicked Witch. They’ve driven us apart like that.’’
People create myths to explain passions, hopes, wishes and inclinations. They need the heroes, the ones who battle against gods and men, as they need the scapegoats responsible when the hero goes astray. What happens when the Hero succeeds only after the Scapegoat has provided the necessary help? Well, noone cares about this tiny detail, all that matters is that the job is done. However, when everything crumbles because of disloyalty and ambition, it’s time for the Scapegoat to be driven out. Medea is either a healer or a bringer of curse. This is what the mob, the ever-changing, witless crowd believes. She is the Other, the Foreigner, the one who threatens the established order with her powers and invocations. Jason is blaming his obsession and lust to Medea, always unwilling to admit what a phony ‘’hero’’ he is. He doesn’t care anymore, the glory is his and it’s time to find a younger, docile wife who would worship him without questions and thoughts of her own…
‘’Is it a comfort to think that people everywhere fall short of the agreements they have made?’’
I feel that this quote expresses the essence of our times extremely accurately. In the outstanding introduction, Margaret Atwood refers to the political and social background and the status quo that shaped Wolf’s work. Coming from the troubled land of former East Germany, it is clear that her political and social views influenced her writing. How could it have been otherwise? Medea was written in 1996, six years after the reunification of Germany, and while reading, one can feel a deep sense of bitterness and intense distrust towards the institution of the state and the authorities. Knowing the political context, Medea becomes much more than a retelling of an ancient legend.
The writing and the characterization are unique. The portrait of Medea is moving, sad, haunting...There are quite a few exceptional descriptions of the city of Corinth and the nightly scenes are eerie, foreboding. Don’t expect any infanticides, gore, violence or sex and the end will surprise you. I will not compare Wolf’s work to Euripides or Seneca. Each one is a different beast, all masterpieces in their own right. However, I know which one I prefer. Wolf’s esoteric, haunting, solemn cry for the truth and for a world that turned out quite different than promised. For the innocent victims of the frustrations of the mighty, the demonization of the weakest links.
‘’Up there in the dark, night-blue sky, like a slightly tilted silver of peel, the crescent moon was still swimming, though on the wane, reminding me of my waning years, my Colchian moon, endowed with the power to pull the sun up over the edge of the earth every morning.’’
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Language
Original publication date
1996
ISBN
342312444X / 9783423124447