Medea Essay, Research Paper

Title of Work: Medea

Country/Culture: Greek

Literary Period: Classical

Type of Literature (genre): Drama/Tragedy

Author: Euripides

Authorial information:

Euripides was born in 484 BC and took

up drama at the young age of 25. At most drama competitions, however his

plays came in last place until he was about 45 or 50 years old. In his

entire life, he wrote 92 plays of which only five received first place

awards at competition. Euripides despised women. He had been married twice

to unfaithful women and had three sons. This hate of women is shown in

his work of Medea.

Author’s unique style:

Euripides’ characterization of women is

considered unique in the play Medea because the tragic Hero/ine – in this

case Jason and Medea in each one’s own sense – is done over by a woman

after cheating on her with the princess of the King of Corinth. He places

emphasis on human emotions and individual psychology in order to help the

reader produce a clear picture of the characters. Medea features strong

dramatic situations and a stirring part for the heroine, whose attitude

of feminine pride and tradition is still popular in today’s world.

Setting:

The entire play takes place on the island

of Corinth in present day Greece. Individual places such as Medea/Jason’s

home, and the palace of the king and princess are also spoken of and used

in the play. It has an ancient Greek setting as well.

Theme: “What goes around comes around.”

The theme of revenge in the sense of Medea’s

strong desire to seek revenge on Jason.

Another possible theme of Medea may be

that at times a punishment of revenge should justify the crime – no matter

how severe. Only a person in such a situation (and greater beings) may

know what to action to take in this position.

Characters:

Medea – The strong willed woman who would

do anything for her husband is victimized by him and turns deadly. After

going to a great extent to help Jason – killing people to be with him and

married to him – he turns around and marries a younger princess and leaves

Medea and their two children with nothing. This deeply angers Medea – her

tragic flaw appears to be an over excessive sense of revenge – who goes

absolutely berserk and kills the princess and her children to get back

at Jason for leaving her. She is very decisive and intelligent and had

thought through her actions against Jason before carrying them out.

Jason – The Husband of Medea who leaves

her for another woman – the King of Corinth’s daughter – claiming it would

be better for both Medea and their children if he “got in good with the

king”. Jason obviously is not caring about his wife who actually killed

to be with him. He does however still love his children. His flaw of apathy

or the fact that he is not perseverant causes his downfall when Medea has

his wife (the princess) murdered as well as his children. This causes Jason

to be extremely disturbed – but it is deserved.

King Aegeus – The present King of Athens

who is very sympathetic. He is friends with Medea and understands her problem.

He tells her that she may come to Athens and seek refuge if she pleases.

He has no children and asks if she will “provide him with some”. In this

sense, he is a jolly fellow who assists friends in time of need. He also

provides Medea with a place to go and be protected after she goes on her

killing rampage.

Nurse – The Nurse plays a somewhat minor

role and yet influences the story of Medea. She is employed by Medea to

look after the children but the Nurse also gossips and provides advice

and assistance to Medea. She provides the audience with background information

on the play and puts pieces together of the “big picture.” The Nurse begs

Medea to not do anything rash because of Jason but says that she knows

Medea will so that foreshadows the though of tragedy in the play. She also

sympathizes Medea but as soon as Medea is not looking, the Nurse criticizes

her as being somewhat over reactive.

King Creon – King Creon finds disfavor

on Medea for many reasons. Most of all he believes she may decide to kill

his daughter out of spite.

Quotes:

“O God, do you hear it, this persecution,

these my sufferings from this hateful woman, this monster, murderess of

children? Still what I can do that I will do: I will lament and cry upon

heaven, calling the gods to bear me witness how you have killed my boy

prevent me from touching their bodies or giving them burial. I wish I had

never begot them to see them Afterward slaughtered by you.”- Page 46 Jason

crying out to Medea who had killed their two children to revenge what Jason

had done to Medea (cheated on her). This quote exhibits the idea of a tragic

hero. Jason, in other stories is by far a hero; a common practice amongst

Greeks is to have more than one wife. Medea goes overboard and kills Jason’s

other life and the two children he and Medea had. This quote shows his

misery over the loss of his children.

“Do not, O my heart, you must not do these

things! Poor heart, let them go, have pity upon the children.” – Page 34

Medea here is showing her frustration over whether or not to kill her children

to seek revenge on Jason. This exhibits Medea’s internal conflict.

“Zeus in Olympus is the overseer of many

doings. Many things the gods achieve beyond our judgement. What we thought

is not confirmed and what we thought not god contrives. And so it happens

in this story.” – Page 47 This quote from the Chorus exhibits the theme

of the play Medea that the gods only know what is best and that at times

what may seem absurd and excessive may actually be the best possible thing

for a person.

Glossary:

Tragedy – a play, novel, or other narrative

depicting serious and important events, in which the main character comes

to an unhappy end.

An example of tragedy is the work Medea

by Euripides in which a woman who is angry with her husband for leaving

her so she kills the woman he left her for and also kills her own two children

she had with Jason to seek revenge on him for leaving her. In this way,

two tragic heroes exist. Medea – in this story may be the tragic hero,

sacrificing her two children for revenge on Jason. Jason as well may be

considered the tragic hero from former stories because he loses his wife,

“girlfriend,” and children.

Tragic hero – the main character in a traditional

tragedy, h/she is usually dignified, courageous and often high ranking.

The tragic hero usually wins some self-knowledge and wisdom, although he

or she suffers defeat possibly even death.

Medea can be considered to have two tragic

heroes. Medea – in this story may be the tragic hero, sacrificing her two

children for revenge on Jason. Jason as well may be considered the tragic

hero from former stories because he loses his wife, “girlfriend,” and two

children.

Internal conflict – a struggle between

opposing needs desires, or emotions with a single character.

Medea is indecisive whether to kill her

two children to achieve revenge on Jason or that she loves them enough

not to sacrifice them. She eventually comes to the decision that her children

should be killed in order to revenge Jason for what he did to her.

Plot Summary:

Medea, a play written by the ancient Greek

dramatist Euripides is a classic tragic play in which the tragic heroine

suffers after gaining the knowledge she has been searching for. Medea,

the tragic heroine, takes revenge on her husband whom she had practically

killed for to be with, after he “cheats” on her with a princess. The theme

of the classical drama could be stated as “what goes around; comes around.”

It takes place on the island of Corinth – a place in Greece – about fifth

century BC. The play, rather brief, shows that the author’s experiences

with women carried over into his writings as well as his life.

The play opens with Medea’s Nurse indirectly

giving background information to the story about to unfold. It is quickly

understood by the audience that Jason, the husband of Medea, for whom she

disowned her family and had killed for, has left her for the King of Corinth

(Creon’s) daughter – a beautiful princess. Medea is outraged by this and

is set on seeking revenge on him.

King Creon tells Medea that she will be

exiled from the island of Corinth because he fears for the safety of his

daughter. Medea, however, does not want to leave. She comes to an agreement

with King Aegeus – King of Athens – where she will be able to seek refuge

in the city-state of Athens after her exile from Corinth. He extends his

hospitality to her quite generously. By this time, Medea has become to

formulate a plan to seek revenge on Jason.

Medea’s plan is to kill Jason’s new bride

and his two children she had bore for him and then flee for Athens. The

chorus tries to console Medea and tell her not to do such horrid things

to other people particularly her children. Medea ignores their request

and is stuck with the decision of whether or not to kill her children.

She loves them and does not want to but she knows she must kill them to

get back at her husband who had wronged her though she had done so much

for him.

She goes through with the act of killing

Jason’s new bride – Medea’s children bring her a poisoned gown, which also

ends up killing the King of Corinth. – And then faces the tough act of

murdering her own children who she loves dearly. She does the awful deed

and refuses to allow Jason access to their bodies to bury them or the ability

to say goodbye to them. Ah… Sweet Revenge

This story follows the usual Greek tragedy

plot and story line and Euripides conveys his idea of a woman well. The

concept of a dominant female is still applicable in today’s world. Medea

is still a popular story today because of this. The theme may not be one,

which is “good” – that of revenge – but in the case of Medea it works well.