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The Character Medea's Revenge in Euripides' Medea


Medea is a tragedy of a woman who feels that her husband has betrayed her with another woman and the jealousy that consumes her. She is the protagonist who arouses sympathy and admiration because of how her desperate situation is. I thought I was going to feel sorry for Medea, but that quickly changed as soon as I saw her true colors. I understand that her emotions were all over the place. First, she was angry, then cold and conniving. The lower she sinks the more terrible revenge she wants to reap on Jason.

Medea's plan was set into motion. She has nothing to loose. She is even angrier because she betrayed her own father and her people for him. She even bears the burden of having Pelias killed by his daughters for Jason. She decides to take revenge out on Jason's bride and poisons her. She also doesn't want Jason to take the children from her. She decides to kill them, but agonizes over this decision before killing them. Some critics view this as a pathetic attempt at motherhood. I know there is a certain bond between mother and child. She just wants to hurt Jason as much as she has been hurt. "She first secures a place of refuge, and seems almost on the point of bespeaking a new connection. Medea abandoned by the entire world, was still sufficient for herself." (blackmask).

There is definitely a reversal of roles in the play. "A man's role was to "help his friends and harm his enemies."(users globalnet) Medea offered to help her friend King Aigeus become childless in exchange for helping her get away. She will harm anyone who gets in her way. It is the children who bring about this reversal.

"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."(essayworld)

"Finally, 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." (essayworld)

Works Cited

Lawall, Sarah The Norton Anthology World Masterpieces Seventh Edition Volume 1 W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Copyright 1984

Brockett, Oscar G., The Theatre An Introduction Second Edition

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. Copyright 1964, 1969

http://www.blackmask.com/books113c/7ldaldex.htm

http://www.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/medea/medeaintro.htm

http://www.essayworld.com/essays/book/135.shtml