Exiled as murderers, Jason and Medea settled in Corinth, the setting of Euripides' play, where they established a family of two children and gained a favorable reputation. All this precedes the action of the play, which opens with Jason having divorced Medea and taken up with a new family. The play charts Medea's emotional transformation, a progression from suicidal despair to sadistic fury. She eventually avenges Jason's betrayal with a series of murders, concluding with the deaths of her own children.
Famously, the pleasure of watching Jason suffer their loss outweighed her own remorse at killing them. Jason can be considered the play's villain, though his evil stems more from weakness than strength.
A former adventurer, he abandons his wife, Medea, in order to marry Glauce, the beautiful young daughter of Creon, King of Corinth. Hoping to advance his station through this second marriage, he only fuels Medea to a revenge that includes the deaths of his new bride, her father, and his children. Jason's tactless self-interest and whiny rationalizations of his own actions make him a weak, unsympathetic character. Medea uses them as pawns in the murder of Glauce and Creon, and then kills them in the play's culminating horror.
Their innocent deaths provide the greatest element of pathos--the tragic emotion of pity--in the play. Composed of the women of Corinth, the chorus chiefly serves as a commentator to the action, although it occasionally engages directly in the dialogue.
The chorus members fully sympathize with Medea's plight, excepting her eventual decision to murder her own children. The King of Corinth, Creon banishes Medea from the city. She cries, and is in deep emotional pain, but then lines like 'it is the nature of a woman to cry' is clearly the writing of a man. However Euripides is different from the other Greek playwrights in that he stands up for the woman, and we see this clearly in this play.
There are others where he covers such themes as well, but we will look at them when we do. Further, not all of Greek literature deals only with strong men and weak women. Homer's Odyssey is a clear example of this as Penelope is painted as a strong, loyal, and dedicated woman that we resist even the wise men to remain faithful to a husband that she believes is still alive.
Further, we have gods like Athena and Artemis, who clearly break out of that mould that we like to put Greek women into both of these gods are major gods, not married to any other gods, are warriors, and are worshipped by many Greeks of the time.
Another thing that struck me in this play this time is the nature of children. Medea weeps about how it is difficult to know how a child turns out. Is all that time wasted in raising the child, only to see him either turn bad, or die in a war? Many parents fret and worry about that, and sometimes the more we worry, the less we actually look into ourselves and ask what can we do to make the situation better. This is a fallen world, and people die in fallen worlds: it is a fact of life.
Death will always be painful, but sometimes we need to accept this. The more we try to mould our children into what we want, the more we force them away from us: many a piece of literature explores this especially these days, just see Dead Poet's Society.
However, Medea slays her children, if only out of spite. I have heard many people suggest that Christianity has made the world worse, not better, and that is something that I must heartily dispute. All we need to do is to look at the pre-Christian world to see how horrid and barbaric it was.
In many of the Greek tragedies there are no noble characters. There are only two truly noble characters that I can think of in Greek antiquity, one of them being Penelope, the other being Leonidas. Athens, the beacon of freedom and democracy, oppressed women and maintained a slave economy. Further, during the early days of the Peloponesian War, they attacked the island of Mytilene, sacked the place, killed all of the men, and enslaved all of the women and children.
While we may have had issues with the way the United States and Britain have acted in other lands, I cannot think with the exception of the period of slavery of any time where they have acted in such a way. Further, while birth control has always been around, the ancients would deal with unwanted pregnancies by breaking the baby's legs, and then leaving them in the wilderness to die. View all 3 comments. May 26, Lena K. Medea is a tragedy written by one of the great tragedians of classical Athens, Euripides the other two are Aeschylus and Sophocles.
Which is a real douche move. She is not only aban Medea is a tragedy written by one of the great tragedians of classical Athens, Euripides the other two are Aeschylus and Sophocles. She is not only abandoned by Jason, but is also ordered by the king of Corinth to leave the city, for he fears she will seek revenge on his daughter boy oh boy was he right , Medea is doubly humiliated and is seriously pissed off.
She definitely takes it too far, but we feel sympathy towards her, even after her monstrous actions. I think that is the genius of this play. Women held no rights in Athens and were considered as property, so this is a nice surprise — to see Medea act with agency horrible as it is, but still. She is a mastermind, she is conniving and manipulating and will not stop until she gets what she wants — she used her smarts to build Jason up and eventually she used her smarts to tear him down.
I love Greek drama, Ancient Greek culture and mythology, and will definitely read more plays by Euripides. View all 4 comments. Apr 03, Elle ellexamines rated it it was amazing Shelves: zreads , literary-fiction , classwork , ysreleases , 5-star , elle-recs-list. Medea begins with a displacement, and ends with a displacement.
She makes herself a suppliant to Aegeus, falling at his feet in honor. She kills her children out of revenge. Well, actually, her killing of her children Medea begins with a displacement, and ends with a displacement. Well, actually, her killing of her children functions here as somewhat of an attempt to cut her final ties. Euripides has a tendency towards putting his female characters most notably with Electra, who actually kills Clytemnestra rather than sympathizing with Orestes into roles with less moral goodness, but more agency.
Yet she is also sympathetic. Jason is desperate for power, but throughout, it is Medea who has saved him, who has helped him, who has become a murderer to save him. When he betrays her, she has nothing to go back to, and an identity forever corrupted by her past deeds. Medea and Jason accuse each other of selfishness, a lack of love for their children, and a desire for power; both exhibit all of these traits themselves, but it is Jason, the familiar, whom we criticize most.
The gods, towards the end, are on her side. Plot twists in this era of tragedy are rare. Not to you. Medea isn't just about pre-feminist ideals, mental illness, revenge, or betrayal. It is a commentary on society, ostensibly Ancient Greek society, but also our global society today. Euripides does something so revolutionary and foreign that the Greek audiences used to tales of heroes or tragedies driven by men must have been flabbergasted and appalled.
Medea is the first all-powerful female character. She makes Electra look like a whiny, helpless, pitiable woman. Medea shows that in ancient Gree Medea isn't just about pre-feminist ideals, mental illness, revenge, or betrayal. Medea shows that in ancient Greece, there were challenges to women, but also that there was a male playwright daring enough to focus his master work on a previously completely reviled and evil female character.
I feel for Medea, but unlike most women in early literature and drama, she solves her own problems. And while her methods may be extreme, she is still in control. Medea is a master work of Greek drama. I applaud the translator's modern approach and language. Updating a classic masterpiece is hard, and Robin Robertson does it admirably. Jun 08, Elliot A rated it really liked it Shelves: classic-literature , stories-that-shaped-the-world. I have been feeling kind of down and blue since finishing my term paper go figure and thought a Greek tragedy would afford me some perspective.
It has been a while since I last read a play, let alone a Greek play, but I am still surprised how much I enjoyed it; I even smiled a few times.
Some of the phrases were quite humorous and seemed rather modern, which was interesting to observe. Overall, a quite entertaining and short play that will have the reader forget their problems for a while.
I highly recommend it. Jul 23, Des rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: everybody. Euripides writes a masterpiece of love, betrayal and revenge.
Medea gives up everything for the man she falls in love with. She pulls him out of jail and certain death, she departs with him from the safety of her kingdom, she kills her own brother in order to guard her lover and at the end he abandons her for another younger woman. Medea poisons this woman and kills her children to take revenge. The mother chooses to sacrifice her own children to ease the pain of unfaithfulness.
The last scene o Euripides writes a masterpiece of love, betrayal and revenge. The last scene of the book- the monologue of a merciless Medea- is a tragic voice of desolation, which knows that there is no escape from This pain.
Dec 05, charlotte, rated it liked it Shelves: 3-stars , classics , plays , morally-ambiguous-characters , in-translation. View 1 comment. Aug 26, Carmen rated it really liked it. Voices of women ringing out. Not only do they have good speeches but their experience is the subject, Medea does not passively sit back and accept the injustice of what has been happening to her, she is definitely not silent in the face of patriarchal injustice.
When she feels aggrieved by man or men she asserts her own power, assuming she has just as much right to act in this way as any man does. When Creon wants to banish her,she assumes that she has the right to speak as well as to act. She Voices of women ringing out. She doesn't hesitate to argue on her own behalf, and her arguments prove persuasive. Medea's actions are monstruous but she's not plain evil, she is vindictive and seductive when needed, arrogant, proud, manipulative and violent all these to get revenge, retaliation even.
Because she has been left behind: Jason- the man she married and for who she has left land and family even comitting some deeds nobody else would - is going to marry again leaving her for no other reason than ambition and she must also leave her home.
Medea's characterization represents an early form of feminism in that Medea sees herself as woman first. Her designation as a wife or mother are secondary to her own feelings as a woman. She appropriates an identity as an individual subject equal to the men who surround them, equally powerful and equally wrong. If she despises how Jason makes use of her until she is no longer needed she does not realize she makes use of the lives of innocent to obtain the revenge she thinks she deserves. Apr 01, Kelly H.
Maybedog rated it it was ok Shelves: what-classic , what-historical-setting , how-play. There is scholarly evidence to support the idea that Euripides was hired by the people of Corinth to write this play to make Medea into a villain: not even crazy but a purely evil woman who would view spoiler [kill her own children hide spoiler ]. I did a paper on it in grad school. Of course I don't know where my paper is nor the citations but who needs references in an opinion piece?
T There is scholarly evidence to support the idea that Euripides was hired by the people of Corinth to write this play to make Medea into a villain: not even crazy but a purely evil woman who would view spoiler [kill her own children hide spoiler ]. That book was excellent in its own right, helping me to understand what it was like to live in that era, particularly as a woman.
It's one of my very favorite books and I highly recommend it. I didn't mind the play but the inherent misogyny gave me pause even before I discovered that it was propaganda. I'm not disputing how well it was written but it was not enjoyable to me. Shelves: own , read-for-school , classic , reviewed.
I read this for my Ancient History class. I was going to give a oral presentation on Greek Theatre and one of the great playwrights of that time Euripides and even though he really wasn't recognised as a good playwright back then, he is now remembered as one of the best playwrights from that time. Medea is about a woman who kills her two children to get revenge on her husband, because he left her for a younger woman. That's basically the gist of the play.
But damn is it an amazing play. The monol I read this for my Ancient History class. The monolouges. The writing. The characters. The concept and Medea's reasoning.
All amazing. This is a must read for fans of Euripides or just people willing to read amazing plays. And the cover, the childs hand print. It doesn't get creepier than that. The translation I read was easy to read but still very moving. I read it all in one afternoon and have read it a few times afterwards. It is alot to take in.
But it is amazing! View all 7 comments. Shelves: classics , plays , lilith-fare , odyssey. I may not win, but you'll lose--or I'll just win. Medea is not a woman to be trifled with, and that's precisely what Jason did.
The context of Medea's identity is critical to understanding this play, and definitely something I did not have when I first read it age Euripides list Medea as daughter of Aietes the King of Colchis, not terribly helpful if you don't know that she is not Greek--though you'll learn this during the play when Jason insinuates, nay, says that he took her from the barbar I may not win, but you'll lose--or I'll just win. Euripides list Medea as daughter of Aietes the King of Colchis, not terribly helpful if you don't know that she is not Greek--though you'll learn this during the play when Jason insinuates, nay, says that he took her from the barbaric land and gave her civilization by bringing her to Greece.
She is a "wise woman" aka witch aka enchantress. Now, Jason in his quest for glory and power casts Medea, mother of his two sons, aside and takes another wife, the King of Corinth's daughter. Jason is not only an ass, but stupid too. Medea is not having any of this.
Jason should have known better when he saw what Medea did for him to win the Golden Fleece--not going to spoil it. Let's just say that the bloodshed here is typical. Not only does Medea win, she rides off in a winged-serpent dragon drawn chariot to Athens where she's secured sanctuary. Yes, literal dei ex machina with Helios aiding her.
And dumbass Jason? He eventually dies alone in the refuge of the skeleton hull of the Argo when a beam falls on his head. That's actually not in the play, but my edition's editor notes. Game, set, match goes to Medea. The edition I read is translated by Robin Robertson published by Vintage. It starts with a short introduction that talks about Medea beyond her dark traits, Robinson points out how her behaviour is of a woman betrayed.
With this in mind I read the play again, and closely. So, previously one of the things I had missed was how much Medea loved her children. The women around her, the chorus and the nurse, along with the tutor do not approve. Previously, these are the voices that I noted but it overshadowed that she was a victim here but these are my words as Medea is not willing to be made a fool by anyone no matter the cost, where her actions become more callous for keeping her emotions in check, but what I had previously missed was the gods approved.
Medea, who isn't to be messed with, murders his new would-be wife by poisoning her, and—what is worse—kills her own children in an act of ultimate? Mar 13, Shad rated it it was amazing. Penetrating psychological study of Medea, the wronged wife, and Jason, the unfeeling, selfish contemptible husband. Classic revenge tragedy. As with the Herakles , we start with the basic recitation of mythological lore, as passed along in Apollodorus: They went to Corinth, and lived there happily for ten years, till Creon, king of Corinth, betrothed his daughter Glauce to Jason, who married her and divorced Medea.
But she invoked the gods by whom Jason had sworn, and after often upbraiding him with his ingratitude she sent the bride a robe steeped in poison, which when Glauce had put on, she was consumed with fierce fire along with h As with the Herakles , we start with the basic recitation of mythological lore, as passed along in Apollodorus: They went to Corinth, and lived there happily for ten years, till Creon, king of Corinth, betrothed his daughter Glauce to Jason, who married her and divorced Medea.
But she invoked the gods by whom Jason had sworn, and after often upbraiding him with his ingratitude she sent the bride a robe steeped in poison, which when Glauce had put on, she was consumed with fierce fire along with her father, who went to her rescue.
But Mermerus and Pheres, the children whom Medea had by Jason, she killed, and having got from the Sun a car drawn by winged dragons she fled on it to Athens. Bibliotheka I. Fairly straightforward. The euripidean version adheres fairly closely to this--or, perhaps, Euripides is the primary source for Apollodorus, who wrote centuries later.
He also presents a slick agon between them, wherein it is revealed that not only does Jason not deny the oathbreaking, but he defends it as economically and politically expedient: What luckier chance could I have come across than this, An exile to marry the daughter of a king?
It was not —the point that seems to upset you—that I Grew tired of your bed and felt the need of a new bride; Nor with any wish to outdo your number of children. We have enough already. The power of Greek tragedy lies in its ability to offer the audience space to explore the very worst-case scenarios. It helps us confront the gap between our ideals about the world and our actual experiences of it. Family relationships are framed by a set of stereotypical societal values: mothers are loving and altruistic, fathers protect and provide, children are dutiful and make their parents proud.
Tragedy explores the ultimate expressions of our fears that life will disappoint us. Children of migration as brokers of 'care' — Walton Hall, Buckinghamshire. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom.
Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. The classical eye Ancient perspectives for modern times. Laura Swift , The Open University.
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