Themes of Medea

Created by: Leah A
Created on: 08-06-14 09:09

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Medea
- Oikos
  - Family is obviously a very important theme in Medea. The play revolves around getting revenge on her husband and killing her children..
  - Medea also got Pelias' daughters to kill Pelias himself so she could be together with Jason
  - Medea has a few hints of sanity, for example when thinking about killing her children.
    - Medea: "I could never do the deed"
      - Medea: I will not do it. Goodbye to my plans"
        Medea has a few hints of sanity, for example when thinking about killing her children.
        Medea: "I could never do the deed"
        Medea: I will not do it. Goodbye to my plans"
        
        But then we see the sadistic personality come straight back out.
        Medea: "But what is wrong with me? Do I want to make myself ridiculous by letting me enemies go unpunished?"
        
        Medea: "Shame on my cowardice in even letting my mind dally with those weak thoughts"
        Medea: "But what is wrong with me? Do I want to make myself ridiculous by letting me enemies go unpunished?"
        
        Here, the audience would not like Medea. Her sudden revoking of her plans could give hope to the audience...
        ...But just as quickly, they are put back into place. The audience would see Medea as sadistic and evil, and insane.
    - But then we see the sadistic personality come straight back out.
      - Medea: "Shame on my cowardice in even letting my mind dally with those weak thoughts"
    - Here, the audience would not like Medea. Her sudden revoking of her plans could give hope to the audience...
      - ...But just as quickly, they are put back into place. The audience would see Medea as sadistic and evil, and insane.
- Foreigners
  - Medea is not only a foreigner, but not even Greek. She is a barbarian
    - She would have dressed, spoken and looked differently to the other women.
    - She has a fiesty attitude, which reminds me of Gloria from Modern Family!
  - Xenophobic society
  - Because Jason is divorcing Medea, she is no longer a citizen of Trozen and has to be exiled.
    - Along with her two children
      - Jason originally wants them to go too but Medea's cleverness persuaded them to stay..
- Revenge
  - Medea states that she will get revenge immediately.
    - Though we first hear about revenge from the Nurse worrying about the children at the start of the play.
    - On Jason leaving her for Glauce in order to gain political status.
  - Medea sends her children in with a robe and garland for Glauce. Because she is so young and naive, she accepts the gifts without any suspicion.
    - Glauce melts and when Creon tries to save her, he melts too. Medea completes stage one of her revenge!
  - Medea then kills her two children. Their cries for help would shock the audience
    - Infanticide was a very serious crime
- Woman's place in society
  - Medea is not like other women, as we find out very early on.
    - She is a cunning and clever woman, almost 'masculine' in those times.
      - She manages to get Jason to let the children stay in Trozen
        Tutor: "Medea, these children, I tell you, are no longer to be exiled"
      - She is able to convince Creon to let her stay one more day in Trozen (This has tragic and ironic consequences!)
  - Jason comes across as arrogant when he talks about women.
    - Jason (talking about Glauce) "If she is like the rest of her sex, I think I shall persuade her"

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Themes of Medea

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