Medea Research Paper

The play of Medea by Euripides is a play of tragedy, that although was written within the B.C.E. era, is relatable to many modern day event. This play focuses on the feelings and actions of the main character, Medea, as she finds out that her husband of ten years, Jason, has chosen to leave her for a younger princess. Medea is a passionate, vengeful and intelligent woman who has been wronged by the one person who was supposed to be loyal to her till death did them part. Medea has always been clever and intelligent, her reputation was well known by everyone. Long before Medea and Jason were married they both had a life of their own. Medea was the princess from Colchis and Jason traveled there to get the Golden Fleece. Jason needed to complete

Jason did not talk or divorce Medea before wedding his new princess lover, “Medea: If you were not a coward, you would not have married [b]ehind my back, but discussed it with me first. Jason: And you, no doubt, would have furthered the proposal, [i]f I had told you of it, you who even now [a]re in capable of controlling your bitter temper” (Euripides 702). Jason showed no respect towards Medea, not for their marriage or the sacrifices she had made for him. Jason felt as if he owed nothing to Medea, he justified himself insisting he has given her more to be thankful to him because she now lived in Greece and more people honor her cleverness (Euripides 701). In fact, Jason thought Medea was more worried him sleeping with someone other than her, “the point that seems to upset you- that I [g]rew tired of your bed and felt the need of a new bride” (Euripides 702). No matter what century one is living in, any woman would be offended and raged if her husband thought that she was upset at the fact that he is sleeping with someone else rather than because he marrying someone else behind her back out of nowhere. Overall, “The theme of marriage thus stands at the core of the tragedy, and much of the tension between Medea and Jason derives from the incompatibility of their views on

Medea knew that if she was going to get revenge against Jason she would have to do it in a very sneaky way. Everyone who knew Medea knew she was going to have the last laugh with this situation. Medea’s nurse feared for the safety of the children as if foreshadowing their fate, “Go indoors, children. That will be the best thing. … Don’t bring them near their mother in her angry mood. For I’ve seen her already blazing her eyes at them [a]s though she meant some mischief and I am sure that [s]he’ll not stop raging until she as struck at someone” (Euripides 692). The nurse was not the only one to fear Medea with her passionate rage but Kreon too, the King of Corinth and father of the princess Jason married. Kreon knew that the only way to keep tragic from happening was to exile Medea and her children. However, Medea begged for sympathy and asked for a one day to make a plan on where to go (Euripides 696-697). Even though Kreon does grant her one more day in the city, when Medea speaks to Jason she begs him too to speak with the king and his new princess wife that the children may be spared the exile and in return she will give the princess elegant gifts (Euripides 710). Medea has now involved Jason, without his knowledge, into her revenge plan. Medea uses her knowledge of potions to put poison in a robe and head piece that is beautiful and irresistible for the princess to reject. Once the princess is