Final answer:
The horrific nature of the children's murder in 'Medea' by Euripides stems from Medea's rational yet chillingly deliberate actions. The story's pacing allows for deep psychological exploration, which emphasizes the tragedy's underlying themes, evoking powerful emotions of pity and fear in the audience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The murder of Medea's children in Euripides' play 'Medea' is particularly horrific due to the deliberate and conscious pace set by Medea's well-considered plan. Medea, depicted as a rational but criminal figure, plots the murder of her children as a form of ultimate retribution against her husband, Jason. Unlike spontaneous acts of violence that may be spur-of-the-moment, the premeditated nature of Medea's actions coupled with the horrific act of infanticide creates a deeply disturbing event in the narrative. This calculated descent into violence is an exercise of psychological horror that contrasts with more visceral, spectacle-driven horrors.
In the landscape of Greek tragedy, such acts of violence, when executed by a knowing perpetrator, are meant to evoke a profound emotional response in the audience. Euripides, in particular, employs this psychological narrative to elicit feelings of pity and fear, which Aristotle considers superior to the effects of spectacle. The audience is forced to contemplate not only the act itself but also the inhumane conventions and denied rights that led to such desperation. The methodical pace at which Medea carries out her revenge allows the audience to ruminate on her character's psychological state, thus amplifying the horror of her actions by making them seem both rational within her circumstances and yet shockingly inhuman.