Two Tragedies of Seneca: Medea and The Daughters of Troy Rendered into English Verse

by Seneca, Lucius Annaeus

Project Gutenberg Release

Project Gutenberg ID

46058

Reading Ease

Reading ease score: 77.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Rights: Public domain in the USA.

Summary

"Two Tragedies of Seneca: Medea and The Daughters of Troy" by Lucius Annaeus Seneca is a collection of tragedies written in the late 1st century AD. This work showcases two of Seneca’s most potent dramas, which explore themes of revenge, betrayal, and the tragic consequences of human emotion. The central character in "Medea" is the titular figure, Medea, who grapples with intense feelings of betrayal after her husband, Jason, abandons her for another woman, while "The Daughters of Troy" revolves around the aftermath of Troy's fall, focusing on the anguish of its remaining inhabitants. The opening of "Medea" sets an intense and vengeful tone as Medea calls upon various deities, suggesting her readiness to unleash chaos and take vengeance on Jason. Alone and consumed by grief and rage, she invokes dark forces, planning her revenge against her betrayer and his new bride. The introduction of the Chorus helps illustrate the chaotic emotions surrounding the deserted Medea, who feels wronged by the gods and humiliated by her husband's disloyalty. As the opening unfolds, the audience is drawn into Medea's deteriorating state of mind, which promises a poignant exploration of love turned to rage and the tragic repercussions that follow. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Metadata

language_code

en

bookshelf

Category: Classics of Literature
Category: Plays/Films/Dramas

locc_code

PA

subject

Trojan War -- Drama
Hecuba, Queen of Troy -- Drama
Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character) -- Drama
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, approximately 4 B.C.-65 A.D. -- Translations into English