The Tragedy of Medea Benjamin Baker CLA 395 Introduction The play “medea” by Euridipes explores the deep complexity of family, relationships, and the way that sometimes it is the people closest to you that can do the most damage. There are multiple disturbing and graphic betrayals in this play, both by Medea and Jason. Jason’s betrayal was first and came following Medea having committed numerous shameful acts all for the sake of marrying Jason. Jason certainly betrayed Medea by leaving her for Glauce, but in the end Medea betrayed him significantly worse and her betrayal was out of revenge rather than personal gain. II. Background The Greek playwright Euripides' tragedy "Medea" was originally presented in Athens in 431 BC. The myth of Medea, …show more content…
This drove Medea to what many would call insanity. In the play's opening scene, the nurse of Medea expresses her worry that Medea is planning to commit despicable acts to Jason for abandoning her. When Medea shows up and reveals her intentions to murder Jason and his new wife as well as her own children, the nurse's fears are soon realized to be accurate. Medea was determined to exact revenge upon Jason. As Medea’s nurse describes well with the quote, "That anger of hers won't die down until someone's felt the force of her thunderbolt." Following Jason marrying Glauce, King Creon banishes Medea from the city in fear of what she may do in response to the betrayal. Medea begs the king to allow her at least one more day in the city, which he grants. This gives Medea just enough time to plot and execute her revenge. Before she begins her devious acts, Jason shows up attempting to convince Medea that he has no love for Glauce and that he married her completely for financial and political gain. He promises to bring her anything she needs while in exile and explains that he plans to keep her as his mistress …show more content…
Medea greets Jason in a chariot with the corpses of her children in it. She mocks Jason and gloats about the success of her revenge. Medea tells Jason that she did this purely to make him suffer and proves it with the quote, “The children are dead. I say this to make you suffer.”() The play's closing scene contains the chorus grieving over the tragedy they have witnessed. III. Discussion This play shows three major betrayals by the two main characters. The first betrayal is Jason marrying Glauce after Medea doing an array of things in order to be with Jason. The second betrayal is Medea murdering the new bride and father-in-law of the father of her children. The third betrayal is Medea murdering her own children, which is a betrayal to Jason and her children. Jason Marrying Glauce is definitely a betrayal, but it is much different from the two Medea committed as the motives were significantly different. Jason commits this betrayal out of hope for monetary and political gain. He is not trying to be malicious with this marriage and he even goes to Medea after and tries to soften the blow as much as possible. Medea’s betrayal is purely from a place of revenge and