Examine Medea’s behaviour with Creon: what strategies does she use to manipulate him?
Initially, it seems like she is struggling and flustered under the pressure when Creon comes to confront her. However, she very quickly realises that Creon is a family man and that to him the daughter is the most important thing in the world. She has that link and understanding about being a parent. So she uses Creon’s emotional connection to being a parent, to giver herself a day saying that she needs to care for her sons. Medea is very cunning and understanding while being very composed.
How does Medea’s speech after Creon’s exit give us further insight into her character?
This monologue helps the audience get a much deeper and better understanding of Medea. Where to Creon she seems to be more of a caring mother who wants to protect them. However, it was clear that actually, she is being a bit selfish as she wants to kill both Jason, Creon and his daughter. She would even be willing to give her own life to kill them. She seems to care more about revenge than herself or her own children. She is starting to be portrayed as a bit more selfish, and the audience may be a bit more hesitant to empathise with her because of her evil intentions.
How does Euripides dramatically present the contrast between Medea and Jason’s different perspectives on their relationship?
Constantly Jason seems to be very entitled where he acts like he is always correct and that everything he has done is good. He constantly gloats and shows off everything he is doing, just to show others how “good” of a person he is. However, it was very clear that his intentions were misplaced and that everything he did was very selfish. He never seemed to do anything for others, even by leaving his own children. However, Medea sacrificed everything for Jason giving up her old life and so many friendships to help him. To the point where she could’ve even been doing the heavy lifting in the relationship which goes against the stereotypes made in a patriarchal society. However, again Jason just plays it off as Medea only doing it for Jason. Euripides wants to highlight the clear contrasts between how they speak, act and their intentions. Where Jason has a very condescending tone one everything he says just to express how he is superior to Medea. Jason always turns everything Medea said into gloating himself. At one point he even says “your children” about his own children. He is also very sexist and just doesn’t care. Constantly how Jason represents a patriarchal society, and Medea being more modern by having Jason rely on her and doing so much on her own. Euripides uses the contrast between the 2 characters to highlight the contrast between a patriarchal society and a more modern society.
What sympathy does the chorus show to Medea? Why?
The chorus sympathises with Medea about how she has nowhere to go and no one to be with. Because she is the one who is left, and she is the one who has sacrificed everything for Jason. Unlike the common stereotype it’s Medea the women who had to make hard decisions about her life and be more independent. The chorus seems to sympathise and feel very bad for her. However, in a way it’s also sexist as the chorus is implying that Medea needs a man or somewhere to go. The chorus gives the impression that she cannot be independent and live on her own. Which reminds the audience that this is still a patriarchal where even if the chorus is feeling bad dor her, it is still kind of sexist.
