Medea Euripides - 1 Analyze

Medea Euripides - 1 Analyze Medea's Character

Medea's Character

Euripides is one of the greatest writers of Greek tragedy because his characters are archetypes for the human condition. In the play Medea, Euripides explores the position of women in society, and the extremes that a woman can be led to within that society. Medea is "No woman from Greece," (Euripides, ln. 1340), coming from an island of barbarians without civilization. She is intensely in love with Jason, and will make decisions based on this passion. Jason and Medea are exiled, and he does not stay faithful to her, so as punishment Medea kills his new wife, father-in-law, and even their own children. Medea is motivated by the encouragement she received from other women, the expectations placed on women in ancient Greece, and her natural inclination towards murder as a solution.

Medea is not bound by the social norms of other Grecian women because she is from outside of that society. Her position in society is that of an outcast, and when confronted with maltreatment she responds with anger and violence. According to some people, this violence is justified and represents a lack of inhibition that some people would encourage in all women. In the play, other women (in the Chorus) are sympathetic to Medea. "I'll do what you request... For you are right to pay back your husband. And, Medea, I'm not surprised you grieve at these events." (Euripides, ln 308)

In today's society, some women believe females should stop withholding their anger and to let themselves express every emotion fully. This shows the parallel between the women in Medea and all mistreated women. The social contract is often broken with women, and their mistreatment leads them to acting outside of the expectations of that society.

The role of women in Greek culture is personified by Medea. In ancient times, women were believed to be very emotional and angry on the inside, but passive on the outside.

Some historians believe that in ancient Greece, women were strongly associated with anger, but "this stereotype and the critique of anger functioned as an instrument of male domination." (Strijdom) Medea has this inner rage that was considered normal for all women to have. On the other hand, "there was almost no legitimate place for women's anger." (Burnyeat) Women were expected to have strong feelings, but to ignore them outwardly and keep all rage bottled up. This double standard is prominent in Medea, for example when Jason admits that it is normal for women to get very angry when their husband is being unfaithful, yet he expects Medea to forget about it. (Euripides, ln 908-910) This is yet another way in which Medea parallels the position of women in our society today who are also expected to keep their feelings hidden.

Medea has an inclination towards killing people as a way to solve problems. Long before killing her husband's wife or her own children, she had killed her own brother in order to escape a difficult situation. As a representation of all women in Greek culture, this is not an out of character action, for women throughout Greek mythology have been murderous. (Not that men in Greek stories are any less ready to slay another living creature!) Some may consider Medea to be evil because she resorts to homicide so quickly, while others see her as a neutral force like many powerful beings throughout time that create and destroy without much discretion. It accomplishes the goal of getting revenge and is therefore an acceptable means for Medea to use. It is a natural thing for her to do, and she speaks of it as a very matter-of-fact occurrence. "The most direct method is the best, the one at which I have a special skill." (Euripides) She is motivated by her own killing nature, which is common throughout all mythology.