The Medea Complex

[Mole]

Psychological states are sometimes characterised as complexes. So we have the Oedipus Complex, the Electra Complex, and the Medea Complex.

The Medea Complex is derived from the Ancient Greek Tragedy called simply Medea.

And last night I saw why as I attended the four and a half thousand year old play called Medea.

It was simply overwhelming. So overwhelming I haven't yet been able to integrate it into my consciousness. I had a profound experience but as yet I don't know what it means.

They say Medea is cathartic and I guess I have had a cathartic experience.

But it raised interesting questions, such as, how does the Medea Complex relate to everyday life? Does it relate to everyday life?

And how is it that two and a half thousand years ago the Ancient Greeks were able to address the profoundities of the human psyche? Why do the Ancient Greeks remain relevant today?

Here is a review of Medea by one of my favourite reviewers, Peter Craven. Just click on National Theatre Live Medea review: McCrory unleashes demons of rage

 

[Chthonic]

Why wouldn't the ancient Greeks been able to see classic dynamics playing over and over again? It's not as if ancient human's were any less intelligent than modern ones. In evolutionary terms we've changed very little in the past few thousand years. Perhaps in the ancient world these kinds of dynamics were more evident and easily discerned than now as the present system of morality and policing was not there. It wasn't that long ago that murdering someone wasn't the huge crime it is today.

How does it relate to everyday life? It relates very closely to mine. My mother is toxic towards her own children. She hasn't murdered any of us, yet. But she delights in seeing each of us torn down and fail in some way. She is overly jealous of any of our success as if it somehow rivals her own. I guess part of that could stem from the seething and enduring hatred she has for our father. The dynamic is the same even if the actions aren't.

Human's are by and large very small creatures with limited desire to range far from these kinds of emotionally driven tragedy's. We are still a pretty grubby species with most decisions and actions stemming from emotion rather than logic or strategy. We live by our petty grievances and internal fears still. That is also what makes those who even temporarily transcend it phenomenal. The rare individual rises above their emotional turmoil to create something enduring, they we hail then saints and genius'.