Emma Clarendon chatted to the author about her new book Medea and why Greek mythology still has much to say in modern times.
Hi Rosie, Greek mythology can be interpreted in so many different ways – what was
your starting point for Medea’s story? Medea is often solely remembered for her egregious actions in Euripides’ renowned play, but here we only see Medea in her final moments, when she has already reached her breaking point. When writing my book, I wanted to tell the whole of Medea’s story, delving back to the very beginning of her life, to allow readers a better insight into her horrific end and, in the process, raise questions around who the real ‘villain’ of Medea’s story truly is.
What made you want to tackle her story now? This is a story I have wanted to tell for a long time, but I was admittedly worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. Medea is such a fascinatingly complex character who has captivated so many people throughout history, so I knew if I was to retell her story, I would have a lot to live up to. Despite this, Medea’s voice was so clear inside my head, growing louder and louder each day, compelling me to write. After the wonderful response to my first book, Medusa, I finally found the confidence I needed to take the plunge and tackle Medea’s incredible myth – and I’m so glad that I did!
Did you have an initial idea as to how you wanted Medea to be seen and did that
change as you were writing? Throughout writing Medea, I wanted to ensure I did not sanitise her character. Medea makes some very problematic decisions during the course of her myth, and I never wanted to shy away from those darker elements of her story or try to make Medea more ‘likeable’. In general, I find female characters are expected to be more ‘palatable’ for audiences, in a way that is rarely expected of male characters, and so it was very important to me that I didn’t sugar-coat any of Medea’s faults (of which there are many). That being said, I still wanted to ensure readers were able to empathise with Medea and be able to understand her actions though they could never agree with them. This was a tricky balancing act, but also a very rewarding one.
Why do you feel that many contemporary authors are turning to Greek mythology
for inspiration? There is a reason these stories have survived for thousands of years. We cannot help but be enthralled by these epic tales of battles and heroes and gods, but what truly makes the Greekmyths so captivating is that thread of humanity at their core – the love, loss, rage, heartache, betrayal, loyalty – all those beautiful emotions that still speak to the fundamental human experience. This is why artists, throughout history, have continually turned to the Greek myths for inspiration and as avenues to explore current discourse, and is why they will continue to do so for many generations to come.
How did you want to tackle ideas such as toxic masculinity & gaslighting? Evidence of toxic masculinity and gaslighting are both present in the ancient source materials
and, as we know, they remain incredibly topical issues in the world today. That is why I
wanted to bring them to the forefront of my book. We see these themes brought to life
through the men in Medea’s life, and throughout the book we witness the devastating effect this toxicity and abuse has on Medea’s mental health. It was important to me to explore these themes in a way that modern readers would find intimately relatable, whilst keeping the story true to its ancient setting. This is what I find so fascinating about Greek myths – how relevant they continue to be. Even though Medea’s story is set in a fantastical, ancient world with dragons and gods and monsters, there is still so much of her experience that resonates with those of women today.
How do you hope that your interpretation of Medea’s story will change readers
perspective of the character? Medea’s story has survived exclusively through men. Euripides’ famous play was written by a man, performed by a fully male cast to a predominantly male audience. Therefore, I hope my interpretation of Medea’s myth will give readers a deeper, more authentic insight into her experience as a woman in a male-dominated world. Medea is also often only remembered as ‘Jason’s evil ex-wife’, but she is so much more than that. I want my book to show readers just how impressive Medea truly is and I hope everyone will become as captivated by her as I always have been.
What do you think we can still learn from stories such as Medea’s? There are so many different learnings we could take away from the Greek myths depending on who is telling the story. Each retelling teaches us something new, and we can also learn a
lot from the difference between retellings throughout history, and what this says about
ourselves and our evolution. Ultimately, though, I believe that stories like Medea’s expertly demonstrate the limitation of clean-cut ideals such as ‘villain’ and ‘victim’, shedding light on that fascinating ‘grey area’ that exists in between (which is where all the best stories and characters live!).
By Emma Clarendon
Medea by Rosie Hewlett is out now (Bantam, £16.99)