Other and Alien: Faces of Medea in Dramatic and Stage Interpretations of 20th-21st Centuries

Abstract

This study analyzes the discourse of the Other and the Alien in transformations of the Medea narrative from the 20th to the 21st centuries, prominently seen through binary dramaturgical parallels in the works of H. H. Jahnn, G. Butler, H. Müller, L. Gaudé, M. Kurochkin, V. Klimenko, J. Anouilh, and T. Lanoye. This contributes to a productive understanding of how the constant components of the myth are perceived by different national mentalities within the context of this opposition. The relevance of this work lies in examining artistic texts through the lens of the national code phenomenon within historical epochs. The Medea archetype is reinterpreted in the context of contemporary life, encapsulating the struggles of women for intellectual and social independence. Diachronic typological parallels of this discourse are identified across all levels of the ethological structure of dramatic and stage adaptations as modern art becomes increasingly visualized and dramatic works require both verbal and visual, auditory perception. It is argued that the interaction of artistic codes from various art forms enhances the multifaceted meanings of Medea’s narratives, intensifying emotional effects and contributing to a psychologically nuanced characterization of the heroine.