Penny Dreadfuls, 1912 · page 31 of 118
The Medea — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running dramatic verse (page 15) from what appears to be a theatrical adaptation or translation of Euripides' *Medea*. The text shows a female character's monologue expressing bitter despair over male betrayal and the powerless condition of women, who must purchase a man's love with their dowry only to become his possession, unable to reject him or escape their bondage to a single person. The verse is marked with handwritten annotations in the margin ("sense of public shame" appears visible).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MEDEA | 15 A strange face, shuddering back from one that ne’er Hath wronged them? . . . Sure, far-comers anywhere, I know, must bow them ve be gentle. Nay, A Greek himself men praise not, who alway Should seek his own will recking not. .. . But I— This thing undreamed of, sudden from on high, Hath sapped my soul: I dazzle where I stand, The cup of all life shattered in my hand, Longing to die—O friends! He, even he, Whom to know well was all the world to me, The man I loved, hath proved most evil.—Oh, Of all things upon earth that bleed and grow, A herb most bruised is woman. We must pay Our store of gold, hoarded for that one day, To buy us some man’s love; and lo, they bring A master of our flesh! ‘There comes the sting Of the whole shame. And then the jeopardy, or For good or ill, what shall that master be; i Reject she cannot: and if he but stays Lo His suit, ’tis shame on all that woman’s days“<~ _ So thrown amid new laws, new places, why, Tis magic she must have, or prophecy— Home never taught her that—how best to guide Toward peace this thing that sleepeth at her side. And she who, labouring long, shall find some way Whereby her lord may bear with her, nor fray ~ His yoke too fiercely, blessed is the breath That woman draws! Else, let her pray for death. Her lord, if he be wearied of the face Withindoors, gets him forth; some merrier place Will ease his heart: but she waits on, her whole Vision enchainéd on a single soul. ae EORMIE OOO KS, COM