Medea is one of Euripides’ plays written in 431 BC. Medea, described within the text as an abandoned wealthy woman, decides to take revenge on her husband, Jason for leaving her with their two children. Medea’s actions are considered by many to be monstrous even though she was betrayed by her husband, who took another woman as a lover. Medea’s revenge is assisted by the goddess Hera, who disguised Medea as an old priestess and sent her to meet Jason in Corinth.
Medea tricks the men of Corinth into poisoning their new wife, Glauce, by giving her a beautiful dress for her wedding day. Medea then murders her two children by chopping them up into little pieces and boiling them in a cauldron that appears to be a spoil from the wedding feast. In Euripides’ version of this story, Medea takes revenge on Jason but there are three alternative endings where Medea either kills herself or remains alive with friends leaving the ending ambiguous according to those who believe that she committed suicide versus those who refuse to accept this as fact.
Medea is considered by many to be one of Euripides’ great plays leaving Medea as an ambiguous character that remains memorable to audiences, due to Medea’s choice to take revenge on her husband. It has been said that Medea was written in order for Euripides, a male iconoclast during the time, to criticize women and their more traditional roles. Medea is also described within the text as being abandoned without children or family with the only possession she had taken from Corinth being her dowry which consisted of gold and royal apparel.
Medea is described within the text as having an authoritative voice when speaking with Jason which sets up Medea’s initial argument about why she must leave Corinth. The introduction also uses Medea’s son in order to recollect Medea’s thoughts of her murdered children. Medea is described in the text as having murderous thoughts when speaking about Jason and Medea, given Medea’s negative feelings towards Jason after their divorce. It has been said that Medea is Euripides’ most complex female character within the Medea plays written by Euripides who receives much more autonomy than other women during this time period.
Medea also reflects on events taking place in Greece at the time with Corinth becoming allied with Sparta during the Peloponnesian War which occurred between 431-404 BC (Euripides (Author), 2014). According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Medea was an abandoned wealthy woman who took revenge on her husband for leaving Medea with two children. Medea’s revenge was assisted by the goddess Hera who disguised Medea as an old priestess and sent Medea to meet Jason in Corinth.
Medea tricked the men of Corinth into poisoning their new wife Glauce by giving her a beautiful dress for her wedding day which Medea had poisoned. Medea then murdered her two children by chopping them up into little pieces and boiling them in a cauldron that appeared to be a spoil from the wedding feast (Funk & Wagnalls, 2013). Medea is one of Euripides’ Medea plays written in 431 BC which became famous because it challenges expectations for women this time period. Medusa is said to have only taken revenge on her husband after Medusa’s husband, Jason, took another woman as a lover.
Medea killed Medusa’s two children which has been described as monstrous even though Medusa was betrayed by Medea, who took another man as a lover. Medea is considered an ambiguous character because she takes revenge on Medus’s new lover but there are three different endings where Medea either kills herself or remains alive with friends leaving the ending ambiguous according to those who believe that Medusa committed suicide versus those who refuse to accept this as fact (Rowell, 2014).
Medea challenges readers’ expectations of women during Euripides’ time period because Medusa received autonomy and had murderous thoughts like many men at the time Medusa was written. Medus received autonomy and had murderous thoughts like many men during Euripides’ time period Medea was written. Medusa also reflects on events taking place in Greece at the time with Corinth becoming allied with Sparta during the Peloponnesian War which occurred between 431-404 BC (Funk & Wagnalls, 2013).
Medea kills her own brother as well as her husband’s new love (Jason) to save herself and her children. Her feminism is both explicit and implicit throughout the story; Medea believes in an empowered sexual relationship, showing that she values herself as an individual more than Jason does. Medea also goes against Greek tradition by leaving Corinth after marrying Jason and going with him to another country (a taboo).
Medea’s explicit feminism makes it clear that Medea has little patience for those who do not understand or acknowledge her strength, power, and capabilities as an individual. Medea holds great power in the play through her intelligence, determination, and cunning. Medea’s implicit feminism is seen through Medea’s ability to manipulate situations around her. Medea has great control over her servants (her sorcery skills) as well as authority over Jason (because he fears Medea).
Medea also shows that she values herself more than anyone else, both with confidence in what she says and does/ how powerful she is, but also with willingness to kill herself if it means protecting her children. Medea holds so much power in the story because Medea knows that for someone like her there are no consequences, Euripides suggests this by saying “The gods have given you a strong will”.
During this time, Greece’s most prominent playwrights wrote many tragedies that focused on human suffering caused by war (war themes include: plague, famine, death of family members, defeat). Medea reflects these issues as well as its theme of feminism. At this point in history, women were seen as second class citizens. Medea challenges views about Medea and other women in the play Medea: Medea challenges interpretations of her character and those of other women by Euripides: Euripides’ Medea is a strong female leads that overcomes adversity and oppression.
Medeo defies societal norms and stereotypes placed on women to achieve an honorable goal. Medea became a powerful, independent woman through education and self-realization. Today, Medea is viewed as a feminist work for its depiction of female empowerment. The themes in Medea show the effects war has on people’s lives which includes its impact on daily life such as family values and relationships (including love). Euripide was one of the first people to write about Medea’s role as a mother.
Medea’s teaching her sons about courage and strength is one example of this. Medea deviates from the standard housewife archetype by engaging in violence, murder, sorcery, politics, and revenge. Medea uses her feminine wiles to gain power over others which includes channelling spirits and using herbs for potions. Medea’s knowledge of ancient medicine was used against Creon without physically harming him (similar to modern day massages). Medea exhibits self-awareness throughout act four; Euripides describes Medea as “knowing what she is doing”.
Medea also purposely chooses Jason because he will give her opportunities for advancement (such as marriage into royalty). Medea’s intelligence and power is what Medeo wants her to be. Medea has no reason to commit suicide even though narrative suggests Medea dies by hanging herself in a “spiral dance”. Medea’s death is not self-inflicted; Creon throws Medea down from the roof to kill her. Medea’s body was never recovered so it would make sense for Medeo commit suicide and disappear because she had nothing left in Corinth.
