Medea By Euripides

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Khendall Garcia Medea Final Essay- Draft In the tragedy Medea by Euripides, Jason’s insane ex-wife Medea murders their children and Corinth’s princess in a futile and envious attempt at revenge. According to the famous Greek Aristotle, a tragic hero must suffer unfairly, is neither completely good nor bad and must finally lose everything in the end. During the play, Jason illustrates the qualifications of a tragic hero through his actions and characteristics. Evidence of this is seen when Jason causes Medea anguish but later offers assistance, and children and new wife are brutally murdered leaving him deserted. The play open up to Medea screeching, moaning and crying over her husband’s infidelity. On page 2, The Nurse describes Medea’s pain, “She lies without food and gives herself up to suffering, washing away every moment of the day in tears.” Even after Medea saves his life and betrayed her friends and family for Jason, he abandons her and their children for as they are secluded to be cast out of Corinth. This leaves the reader to believe he is obtuse and selfish, however, on page 20 Jason says “Have some of my money to help you, say so for I am prepared to give with open hand.” He offers to aid them while they are exiled; it shows he is not entirely malevolent. Jason’s two sided personality is similar to the symbol of Yin and Yang, which states there is a little good in bad and vice versa Like all tragic heroes, Jason has a tragic fall from his elevated status cause by hamartia or “tragic flaw.” Medea states his “It is not an example of overconfidence or boldness thus to look your friends in the face, friends you have injured-no, it is the worst of all human diseases, shamelessness,” page 15. Jason’s indifference to the torment he causes is what makes Medea plot her sinister pay back against him Jason has gone on many expeditions such as retrieving the
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