In the play Medea, the character gives many hints throughout the play of her final act of vengeance. As the story progresses the necessity for Medea to seek revenge also builds inside of her. The first signs of Medea’s potential behavior appear at the beginning of the play when the Nurse tells how Medea is terribly hurt. The Nurse says of Medea’s behavior, “But Medea lies in the house, broken with pain and rage; she will neither eat nor drink” (I 14).
When someone is as badly hurt as Medea, it is only natural human behavior to want revenge. In her past, Medea has killed her family members and others to get what she wants. Although the clue is subtle, it is the first signs of her potential behavior. Continuing, further through the play, Medea offers more signs of her future behavior. Medea screams out in her mind about what she will do, “What I need: all dead, all dead, all dead, under the great cold stones. For a year and a thousand years and another thousand: cold as stones, cold, but noble again, proud, strait, and silent, crimson-cloaked in the blood of our wounds” (I 57).
Medea wants all that have betrayed her to be dead. She is saying that once it has all been completed she will be proud, strait, and noble. This self-reflection is a major clue earlier in the story about what her later actions will be. Furthermore, Medea comes right out and tells Jason that something is going to happen. While Medea and Jason are talking about their children Medea trembles and says, “Something might happen. It is…likely…that something might happen to the bride and the marriage” (I 278).
The Essay on Medea by Euripides
In the play Medea, by Euripides, many techniques are incorporated to augment the compelling persona of the protagonist, Medea. She has an overpowering presence, which is fashioned through the use of imagery, offstage action and language. Dramatic suspense, employment of the chorus and Deus Ex Machina also serve to enhance the intense persona assumed by Medea.Medea is frequently associated with ...
In this conversation, Medea bluntly tells Jason that something will happen to disrupt his marriage and she will have vengeance for what Jason has done to her. The final behaviors of Medea can be seen throughout the story on several occasions.
The three Corinthian women in Medea are similar and dissimilar to the Chorus/Choragus in Oedipus Rex. First, the two share common responsibilities as they both contribute to foreshadowing in the plays. In Oedipus Rex, the Choragus speaks after Jocasta storms out of the room, “Why has she left us Oedipus? Why has she left in such a passion of sorrow? I fear something dreadful will come of it” (Sophocles 1018).
Eventually, Oedipus finds out Jocasta is his mother and wife. In Medea, the three women often show signs of fear of Medea. One of the Corinthian women says, “They say she is dangerous. Look at her eyes” (I 88).
The women tell us that Medea is filled with rage and will do something dangerous. Another similarity between the Chorus/Choragus and the three Corinthian women is that the three Corinthian women often offer comments on a character’s morality or human morality much as the Chorus/Choragus offered commentary. One of the Corinthian women says, “Women hate war, but men will wage it again. Women may hate their husbands, and sons, and fathers, but women will never hate their children” (I 373).
This statement by the Corinthian woman is saying that Medea will hate her husband and many others but she did not hate her children even though she killed them. In Oedipus Rex, the Chorus tells the reader how Oedipus is filled with pride when they say, “The tyrant is a child of pride who drinks from the great sickening cup of recklessness and vanity” (Sophocles 829).
The major difference between the two is that the three Corinthian women are much more involved in the story that the Chorus/Choragus and often times the Corinthian women’s views reflect Medea’s views. The Corinthian women state, “Jason! Medea’s worst enemy, who should have been her greatest protector” (I 257).
They are displaying their personal views with have been influenced by Medea. The Chorus/Choragus and the three Corinthian women are similar and different in several ways.
The Essay on Themes In Medea Fleece When Jason
Essential Facts Themes of the Play 1. Why does Medea kill her children: 1. Jason has betrayed her 2. Vengeance: to leave him childless in old age 3. Failed heroism 2. Revenge-drama: 1. Medea gravely wronged by Jason 1. Jason a non-citizen and exile offered opportunity to marry princess of Corinth, inherit throne 2. Medea regarded as concubine and her children reduced to dependents of Jason's ...
Medea shows many heroic qualities that were not common among Greek women. For example, Medea is willing to kill her own brother to be with Jason. In classical Greece, women who killed were certainly very rare and it rarely ever happened. When she kills her brother, she shows that she is willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done, in this case to be with Jason. Furthermore, she shows courage when she stands up to Jason. Medea has been not only cheated, but also betrayed by Jason. She will not tolerate this abuse form him and does something about it. Medea says to Creon, “You see a woman driven half mad with sorrow, laboring to save her little children” (I 167).
Medea ultimately builds up enough courage to confront Jason and get revenge. In a way, Medea is speaking out against the inferior status of women by getting justice. Finally, Medea shows that she is clever and resourceful. Rather than use brut force to accomplish her plans, she uses her mind instead. Medea talks of how she can get her revenge “I could go into the house with a sharp knife to the man and his bride…No: I have subtler means, and more deadly cruel; I have my dark art” (I 383).
While physical strength is often to be considered a heroic quality, cleverness and intelligence is a more powerful quality. The story of David and Goliath displays this heroic quality when intelligence defeats brut force. She does in fact poison the princess and the king of Corinth. Interestingly, however, she does not poison them directly, she has children deliver poison gifts to them. Although these characteristics can be seen as heroic, these qualities make Medea the perfect villain. She deceits her enemy, is vengeful, and is willing to fight her enemy. Medea acts as a perfect villain in the play of Medea.
Euripides discusses many themes in the play Medea that still apply to life in modern times. To begin, Euripides shows the theme of vengeance and justice through the character of Medea. Medea is willing to sacrifice everything to make her revenge perfect. Medea shows her complete necessity for revenge when she says, “anyone running between me and my justice will reap what no man wants” (II 128).
The Term Paper on Golden Fleece Medea Jason Children
... woman. It is Medea's cunning ability to manipulate that sets her apart from the subordinate women of Athens. Euripides portrays her as having qualities seemingly ... one day is all she will need to exact her revenge. She plans to complete her quest for "justice" -- at this ... called the goddess to witness his oath. Then Jason accepted Aeetes' offer. Medea gave Jason a magic charm by which he could safely ...
Not only does she sacrifice her own children, yet she also sacrifices her pride and she gives up a life free of remorse and guilt. This type of crazed revenge is seen all too much in today’s society. The media often reports revenge of ex-lovers that end in murder. Euripides wanted to show that humans hold will always get justice for something that has occurred. Continuing, Euripides also displays the theme of women’s roles and their position in society. Throughout the past and during the time of Euripides, oppression plagued females. Euripides chose to present how women were often oppressed through Medea. At the beginning of the play, the Nurse speaks of the years when Medea was married to Jason. She mentions how she was oppressed by saying, “but Jason has turned form her; he calls the old bond a barbarian mating, not a Greek marriage” (I 10).
The Nurse also mentions, “…he is willing to cast Medea like a harlot, and betray the children” (I 12).
Jason cruelly betrays Medea and Euripides was trying to show how this oppression could ultimately lead to violence and rage. The theme of Jason’s arrogance is also presented in Medea. Is Jason really the hero he is made up to be? The reason why Jason is where he is at in his life is because of Medea. She did all the dirty work for Jason, but he repays here by running off and marrying the beautiful girl. Medea knows she made Jason who he is when she says, “I gave him success and fame; I saved him his precious life, not once, many times…I betrayed my father for him, I killed my brother to save him” (I 245).
Jason does not understand that the reason he holds power is from Medea. This arrogance is one of the reasons why Medea is so enraged at Jason. The themes that Euripides presents in Medea are still applicable in today’s world.
