Medea

"MEDEA"

Is Medea really a horrible monster or are the mitigating circumstances that lessen

her guilt.?

I think there is evidence to support that she is not really a monster.

I think that Medea is not a monster but really a woman who was really let down by her lover and husband, Jason. I think this story suits the saying "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". Medea felt betrayed by Jason because she felt that she had done so much to help him in his challenges by gaining back the "golden fleece" and this is the reward that she gets. She is hurt that he decided to take another wife when they had children together. I do not however agree with the way she went about taking revenge on her enemies. She was ruthless and had no mercy for her victims. I think that because she was a sorcerer's daughter, the only way she could get revenge was to be very ruthless and use bad magic. She always solved her problems with magic. She was a princess and came from power that she could not be embarrassed by Jason and Creon and his daughter Creusa.

The whole play stems from the fact that Jason was the person he was because of Medea. She helped him to face his challenges head on in Colchis. Her father, King Aeetes

of Colchis, told Jason to yoke two fire-breathing bulls with bronzed feet, and sow the teeth of the dragon that Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, had long before slain. Jason was successful with this task with the help of Medea. Medea was taken by Jason charm and she loved him. She helped him to steal the Golden Fleece from her father. She loved him so and did everything in her power to make sure he accomplished his goal. In return for her help, Jason promised to love Medea always and to marry her as soon as they were safely back in Greece. Medea made sure they would be safe by cutting up her own brother to throw him in the water to stop her father from retaliating against them. Jason never stopped her from doing these horrible things. He was using her to get what he wanted. When they went back to Jason town, his uncle Pelias had killed Jason's parents and therefore Medea took revenge on him by tricking his daughters to kill him. Medea felt she needed to help Jason avenge his parent's death.

After Pelias's death, Medea and Jason fled to Corinth were they lived and conceived two children. They had two boys who were the pride of their father. He knew that when he died, his sons would carry on his legacy. Medea was happy with her life but it seems Jason was fed up with his and felt he needed a change. He decided to marry King Creon's daughter.