How to Analyze Dramatic Quote Euripides’s Medea Prologue

Who The Nurse of Medea’s children The Tutor of Medea’s Children Medea

What The Nurse tells of past events that led to the current situation. She talks about Jason's ship the Argo and its heroes. (what is the Argo)

The Argo Legend The Argo was built by Argus, and its crew were specially protected by the goddess Hera. According to a variety of sources of the legend, the Argo was said to have been planned or constructed with the help of Athena. According to other legends it contained in its prow a magical piece of timber from the sacred forest of Dodona, which could speak and render prophecies.

The Argo’s connection to Jason and Medea Jason (Greek: ) was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus. He was married to the sorceress Medea. the Argo was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to retrieve the Golden Fleece.

Jason was the son of the lawful king of Iolcus, but his uncle Pelias had usurped the throne. Pelias lived in constant fear of losing what he had taken so unjustly. When Jason had come of age, Jason set out like a proper hero to claim his rightful throne. When he asked his uncle Pelias to give him back his throne, he said, "To take my throne, which you shall, you must go on a quest to find the Golden Fleece." Jason happily accepted the quest.

Jason assembled a great group of heroes, known as the Argonauts after their ship, the Argo. The group of heroes included the Boreads (sons of Boreas, the North Wind) who could fly, Heracles, Philoctetes, Peleus, Telamon, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, Atalanta, and Euphemus

The Golden Fleece Medea statue holding the Golden Fleece in the center of Batumi (One of the major cities of Colchis), Georgia.

Modern day Georgia or Colchis’ Medea’s country

The story of Jason and the Golden Fleece Myth http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/jason_01.shtml. For the complete story see the above link.

The importance of the Golden Fleece Why a fleece? Fleeces are connected with magic in many folk traditions. For the ancient Etruscans a gold coloured fleece was a prophecy of future prosperity for the clan. Recent discoveries about the Hittite Empire in Bronze Age Anatolia show celebrations where fleeces were hung to renew royal power. This can offer insight into Jason's search for the fleece and Aietes' reluctance to relinquish it. The fleece represented kinship and prosperity.

Medea, Jason and the Fleece Medea is a woman in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason. In Euripides's play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, king of Corinth, offers him his daughter, Glauce. The play tells of how Medea gets her revenge on her husband for this betrayal.

Medea’s role Medea's role began after Jason arrived from Iolcus to Colchis (The old kingdom of Georgia) to claim his inheritance and throne by retrieving the Golden Fleece. In the most complete surviving account, the Argonautica of Apollonius, Medea fell in love with him and promised to help him, but only on the condition that if he succeeded, he would take her with him and marry her. In a familiar mythic motif, Aeëtes promised to give him the fleece, but only if he could perform certain tasks. First, Jason had to plough a field with fire-breathing oxen that he had to yoke himself. Medea gave him an unguent with which to anoint himself and his weapons, to protect him from the bulls' fiery breath. Then, Jason had to sow the teeth of a dragon in the ploughed field (compare the myth of Cadmus). The teeth sprouted into an army of warriors. Jason was forewarned by Medea, however, and knew to throw a rock into the crowd.

continuation Finally, Aeëtes made Jason fight and kill the sleepless dragon that guarded the fleece. Medea put the beast to sleep with her narcotic herbs. Jason then took the fleece and sailed away with Medea, as he had promised. Apollonius says that Medea only helped Jason in the first place because Hera had convinced Aphrodite or Eros to cause Medea to fall in love with him. Medea distracted her father as they fled by killing her brother Absyrtus.

Medea in Corinth The nurse tells of Medea’s position in Corinth as well respected wife and mother. The tutor tells the nurse that Medea will be banished form Corinth Medea’s anger toward Jason also is directed toward her sons from him. The nurse is afraid of the actions Medea might take.

Conclusion of the Prologue The Nurse talks about the virtues of middle position in life. Powerful and wealthy people can afford to exceed the limits when angry. Medea who is a daughter of a king,half goddess and a sorceress, can not ignore Jason’s insults and betrayal after all the services and sacrifices she did him.

Why? Why the prologue introduces all this speech? As a whole the prologue sets the mode of the play. It sets an ominous and sad tone with love, betrayl anger and eventually revenge. It introduces the main characters, Medea and Jason and their famous love story ( you need to know the myth to appreciate the sacrifices Medea made to be with Jason)

Why: Continuation The Who Medea’s is, (look at earlier slide) and the aide she gave to Jason when he was in desperate situations can explain Medea’s anger and character. We learned about Jason’s character which is not promising. We can see the effect of unreserved passion, whether love or hatred. The emotional and character qualities between normal and powerful people.