In Euripdes play medea Essay

In Euripides play Medea, the character of Medea is commonly expound as existence both manic and wicked. I do agree that throughout the play Medea does direct herself to be manic individual and does commit a number of wicked acts, entirely I do non believe that she as much wicked as she is unstable, there are umteen other(a) factors that need to be taken into account. Medea is a strong powerful woman in a era and society in which woman were considered weak and did not have a voice.Throughout the play Medea is sh accept as universe completely other, she has supernatural powers and is from a far a demeanor land, and will do anything she feels fit for what she believes to be right, even if these acts could be considered wicked a foreign woman coming among new laws, new customs, call for the skill of magic. The men around her throughout the play treat her differently due to this discreteness not so much respecting her but not talking to her as he would an Athenian woman. out f ront the play is set Medea has committed a number of atrocious crimes killing her own brother in order to escape her father and coercing the daughters of Pelios into killing their own father after he wronged Jason. While it is hard, oddly from a modern perspective, to in any way justify these acts, one can also turn over that she does not commit these crimes for no reason, she doesnt kill randomly and at no point in the play does Medea suggest she takes pleasure in the act of ending a life.It seems that instead she behaves as she feels she moldiness to do what is necessary even if that involves killing those who oppose or detriment her. In my opinion this seems to so much as wicked as mentally unstable. Throughout the play Medea acts in a way that is manic, it is clear that all those around her are worried about her state of judgement. Even Her own nurse, somebody who would have known Medea intimately having raised her and travelled to Greece with her, fears what Medea might do drawing subdivisionicular precaution to what she whitethorn do to her children in hopes of getting revenge on Jason Ive watched her watching them like a wild bull.Creon, King of Corinth and father of the woman for whom Jason has left Medea for, fears that Medea may wish to cause harm to him and his own and as a result of this fear plans to exile Medea My blood runs cold to think what plots you may be nursing deep within your heart. At this point in the play notwithstanding the suspense being built it is hard for one not to pity Medeas plight, her husband has put away her, she has no family to turn to so without her husbands support a lonely greek woman would have had teensy-weensy way of supporting herself in a manner that was respectable especially if she had been exiled.Medeas state of mind is one of great turmoil, for the opening scene of the play we do not see Medea herself instead Medea is comprehend lamenting her fate, another example of Medeas insanity. Many believe th at that Jason was solely responsible for Medeas many wicked deeds. If Medea had never met Jason than she would have never left her family, never killed her brother and never had to live in a society in which she is a cultural alien.Everything she did was done for Jason, she is a passionate woman and her beloved for Jason was intense her nurse describing her as being mad with love and Jasons disloyalty. Divorce was not curious in Greek society and at one point in the play the chorus, who throughout had been on Medeas side, believe she is behaving in a way that is too melodramatic this thing is common why let it anger you, but in my opinion that for a woman who was already unstable, Jasons reprehensible treason and Creons exile was enough to have push Medea over the edge I shall spank dead father daughter, and my husband.Jason leaves Medea and her children in favour of another woman, two reasons are given for this betrayal Jasons claims that he wished for a wife that would be pol itically advantageous What luckier chance could I have met, than wedding ceremony with a Kings daughter, and Medeas nurse, who resents Jason, claims that it was because Jason wanted a younger prettier girl Jason is a captive in a princesss bed.Whatever the reason Jason abandons Medea and her children in a cruel way, Jason claims he planned to support her and her children It is not for the sake of any women that I have made this royal marriage, but as i have already said to ensure your future. However he does not make any mention of this until after Medea has been exiled and he no longer plans to offer this support.All of Medeas crimes are committed by way of a punishment for betraying her. She is even willing to kill her own children to punish Jason despite her love for them, she is convinced that it is the only way that she can truly punish Jason is by killing those he lovesThis is the way to deal Jason the deepest wound. It would seem that there is still a part of Medea that lov es Jason as she does not simply kill him.Despite Medeas motivation and justification for her crime, there is no avoiding the fact that Medeas actions are evil, she killed her own children, who had never ever done anything to hurt her and who loved her and believe her what have they to do with their fathers wickedness. She also killed Creon whose only crime was to wish to treasure his daughter Id rather make you my enemy now, than weaken, then later pay with disunite, even Glauce despite being the woman who Jason left Medea for, was not truly at fault she didnt chose Jason she was offered it was her duty to marry the man chosen for her.From the very start we know that Medea is planning some image of revenge which in Greek society was perfectly acceptable, but even they would see her crimes as being unforgivably wicked. The audience, as the play progresses, switch from pitying Medea ,to pitying Jason, Jason has over the years used Medea for his own gain, but nobody deserves to los e their own children killed my sons? the words kill me . Medeas revenge is justified but she takes it to far, showing herself to be both manic and wicked.In conclusion, it is possible to say that Medea is manic, she kills all those that get in her way, and any that she needs to in order to complete her revenge. Despite this it seems hard to describe her as being completely evil, while she has killed many, she does not kill randomly, she only kill those that have wronged her, and she never kills for pleasure. So while she is most definitely dangerously unstable and capable of truly evil acts, I do not think she is truly evil.