Medea Analysis

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Medea Analysis In Euripides’ play Medea, there is love, hate, betrayal, revenge and so much more that takes place. Euripides has his readers questioning everything in his play from the literal characters actions to themes of the play to the Greek ideals that he is challenging. For example, he makes the reader question between justification and revenge. He makes you question if Jason could have been a hero on his own. Euripides questions the Greek ideal woman and her characteristics. Euripides wrote against the norm of Ancient Greek writing when writing this play. The theme of justice verses revenge was very prominent in Medea. Medea goes to great lengths to seek revenge on her ex-husband Jason after he left her and her kids to poverty in a foreign country so that he could then get married to the King’s daughter in Corinth. Not only did Jason do that, but his soon to be father-in-law King Creon demands that Medea and her children leave at once or after she persuades him after a day. (Lines 279-280 and Lines 350-365, Medea) She decides to get revenge or “justice” by trying to hurt Jason in the deepest way possible. “If I should find some way, some strategy to pay my husband back, bring him to justice, keep silent.” (Lines 265-267, Medea) The way Medea decides to seek revenge however is not really justification it is just plain cruelty and revenge. She is justified in wanting to make him pay, but is not justified in the way she ends up doing so. After much deliberation, Medea has her children take a gown that has been poisoned to the princess so it appears as a peace offering and that they will give a safe haven to the children, but in reality she poisons the gown or robe and it kills the princess and her father King Creon. (Lines 804-809, Medea) After that, she believes that she must kill her children to “protect” them from the other people seeking revenge of the
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