Pasolini’s “Medea”: using μῦθος καὶ σῆμα to denounce the catastrophe of contemporary life

Abstract

From Pasolini’s point of view, Medea’s tragedy is likewise the tragedy of the contemporary Western world and cinema is the semiology of reality. His Medea thus becomes an ancient myth pregnant with signs to be interpreted by attentive viewers. The aim of this article is to put forward reasoned interpretations based on a close analysis of the images and verbal discourses (lógoi) of Pasolini’s script, ever mindful of the explanations given by the director himself that have been published in interviews, articles and other texts.