Medea - Literary Touchstone Classic [Paperback]

Euripides (Author), Paul Moliken (Editor), Elizabeth Osborne (Editor), J.E. Thomas (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2005

To make Medea more accessible for the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic includes a glossary of the more difficult words, as well as convenient sidebar notes to enlighten the reader on aspects that may be confusing or overlooked. In doing this, it is our intention that the reader may more fully enjoy the beauty of the verse, the wisdom of the insights, and the impact of the drama. Witch, barbarian, foreigner, or a woman wronged and committed to the most horrific kind of justice, Medea is a heroine who makes her audience shudder. Euripides shows us an astonishingly strong female protagonist, whom some readers have identified as the first feminist in Western literature. Seeing where her strength leads her, though, we must wonder if she was intended to be portrayed a model or as a warning. Because the three other plays that were traditionally performed with Medea have been lost, it is difficult to say whether EuripidesÂ’ Athenian audience was as upset by the play as modern readers are. It won only third place at the biggest festival in the city, indicating that ancient audiences also found it controversial. With its still-relevant examination of marriage, love, and revenge, and its explicit scenes of mental and emotional agony, Medea continues to demand our attention.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Prestwick House, Inc.; 2005 edition (December 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580493467
• ISBN-13: 978-1580493468
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great edition for beginners, December 6, 2009

By 

Jane Doe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medea - Literary Touchstone Classic (Paperback)

Medea was a wonderful story, but this review is just about this edition, the Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic. These editions are mainly made for middle and high school students, and they are very easy to understand.

I've only just started reading ancient Greek literature, and this edition filled in all the gaps for me that I would not have otherwise understood. In the back of the book, there is a 2-page summary on Medea's husband Jason and how their marriage came about, which was extremely helpful for me because I did not know anything about that. The pages of the book are very pretty and all have the picture of Medea that is on the front cover on them. There is also a helpful little glossary in the back for the back with very detailed definitions. In the front of the book, there are reading pointers that set the stage for the story that is about to be read and that talk about some of the main themes of the play. There are footnotes in the margins, which is much more convenient than having to flip to the back of the book on every other page. This translation is also very quick-paced and easy to understand.

However, I went in this as a beginner to Greek lit, so the footnotes, which told very basic things were helpful to me. But, if you are already learned about this period, you may find some of the notes a nuisance. I love reading books from the 18th and 19th century, and sometimes when I read the Prestwick copy of those books, I think, "How can one know that?," so only get this copy if you have not read much Greek literature. Also, while the extras in this book helped me, they are nearly as insightful as, say, the Penguin editions.

As for the book itself, Medea was an amazing story, and I loved reading it. Even if this book contained no extras, it would definitely be worth it to buy it for the story alone - especially at this meager price.

4.0 out of 5 stars This version of Medea is great, August 2, 2011

By 

iamespinoza - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Medea - Literary Touchstone Classic (Paperback)

I have used this play in my IB English World Literature HL class and in my IB Theatre Arts HL class. I haven't used any other edition or version, but this one is great.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent rendition, March 7, 2011

By 

1992Con - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Medea - Literary Touchstone Classic (Paperback)

I read this version of Medea and found it very easy to follow and understand. Never did I think I would enjoy let alone understand a 5th Century BCE poet. I have read The Bacchae in the past. I found that difficult reading but had a different version of the play.

This version of Medea is brilliant and very easy to follow. Having the explanations on the side of the page made a huge difference than to have to consistently turn to the glossary for an explanation of what was said. That is very distracting, and I often have to re-read the passage more than once to find my bearings.

Again, great version of Medea!