Publisher's Synopsis
A Colombian Requiem-Medea Bacatá, a contemporary tragedy by Hugo Noël Santander Ferreira, reimagines the ancient myth of Medea within the context of modern Colombia, weaving together themes of betrayal, vengeance, and redemption against a backdrop of social and political turmoil. While Euripides' Medea (431 BCE) remains one of the most enduring tragedies of classical antiquity, Ferreira's adaptation transposes the myth into a setting marked by the violence of guerrilla warfare, drug trafficking, and systemic inequality, offering a poignant critique of Colombia's fractured society. Both works explore the depths of human suffering and the moral complexities of revenge, but Ferreira's Medea Bacatá diverges in its emphasis on collective trauma, spiritual redemption, and the interplay between personal and political violence.
Euripides' Medea centers on the titular character's descent into vengeance after her husband, Jason, abandons her for a politically advantageous marriage. Medea's infamous act of filicide-killing her own children to punish Jason-has been interpreted as both a critique of patriarchal structures and a portrayal of the destructive power of unchecked emotion. In Euripides' version, Medea declares, "I know indeed what evil I intend to do, but stronger than all my afterthoughts is my fury, fury that brings upon mortals the greatest evils" (lines 1078-1080). This line encapsulates the tragic inevitability of her actions, driven by a rage that transcends reason. Similarly, in Medea Bacatá, the protagonist is consumed by a fury born of betrayal, but her violence is contextualized within a broader framework of societal collapse. Ferreira's Medea is not only a wronged wife but also a victim of Colombia's endemic violence, her personal tragedy mirroring the collective suffering of a nation.
One of the most striking differences between the two works lies in their treatment of Medea's agency and moral culpability. In Euripides' play, Medea is a figure of almost supernatural power, a sorceress who manipulates those around her to achieve her ends. Her declaration, "I shall kill my children, no one shall take them from me" (line 1242), underscores her determination to assert control over her fate, even at the cost of her own humanity. In contrast, Ferreira's Medea is a more grounded, humanized figure, whose actions are shaped by the oppressive realities of her environment. While she, too, contemplates violence against her children, her struggle is framed as a response to systemic injustice rather than purely personal vengeance. As she laments, "Mis historia está poblada de incongruencia, / De pulsación materna que acabó en pavesa" ("My history is filled with incongruity, / A maternal impulse that turned to ash"), Ferreira's Medea embodies the tension between maternal love and the desperation wrought by societal collapse.
The choruses in both plays also serve distinct yet parallel functions. In Euripides' Medea, the chorus of Corinthian women oscillates between sympathy for Medea and horror at her actions, reflecting the moral ambiguity of her plight. They cry, "Flow backward to your sources, sacred rivers, / And let the world's great order be reversed" (lines 410-411), expressing their disbelief at the unnaturalness of Medea's planned filicide. In Medea Bacatá, the chorus-composed of displaced women from the Magdalena River region-similarly serves as a moral compass, but their commentary is deeply rooted in the specific historical and cultural context of Colombia. They lament, "Nuestros hombres desoyeron nuestro ruego; / Su sangre irrigó fruta desabrida" ("Our men ignored our pleas; / Their blood watered bitter fruit"), linking Medea's personal tragedy to the broader cycles of violence that have devastated their communities. This shift from the universal to the particular underscores Ferreira's commitment to addressing the specific realities of his homeland.
