1. Euripedes
Medea

3. Euripedes (c. 480 – c. 406 BC) Tragedian of the Classical Athens
Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom a significant number of plays have survived.
Scholars attributed 92 plays to him, but only 18 or 19 have survived.
He was also unique among the writers of ancient Athens for the sympathy he demonstrated towards all victims of society, including women.

4. Euripedes (c. 480 – c. 406 BC)
Pioneered a lot of theatrical techniques which later writers adapted to comedy, some of which are characteristic of romance.
Considered to be "the most tragic of poets", focusing on the inner lives and motives of his characters in a way previously unknown.
He was "the creator of...that cage which is the theatre of Shakespeare's Othello, Racine's Phèdre, of Ibsen and Strindberg, in which "...imprisoned men and women destroy each other by the intensity of their loves and hates.”

5. Euripedes (c. 480 – c. 406 BC)
The comic poet, Aristophanes, is the earliest known critic to characterize Euripides as a spokesman for destructive, new ideas, associated with declining standards in both society and tragedy.
Aeschylus gained thirteen victories as a dramatist, Sophocles at least twenty, Euripides only four in his lifetime, and this has often been taken as an indication of the latter's unpopularity with his contemporaries.

6. Euripedes (c. 480 – c. 406 BC)
"For in his representation of human suffering Euripides pushes to the limits of what an audience can stand; some of his scenes are almost unbearable.” — B. Knox, 'Euripides' in The Cambridge History of Classical Literature I: Greek Literature
Medea, , acquerello 20 x 38 cm, Paul Cézanne ( )

7. Medea: Historical and Cultural Background
The Medea was first produced in Athens in 431 B.C., the year after the great war began between Athens and Sparta (II Peloponnesian War). 
It came in third place at the annual Athenian play competition at the Theatre of Dionysus. (First place is Euphorion, Second place is Sophocles).
Medea is now recognized as a timeless classic, while the two plays that beat it in the original competition don't even exist anymore.
Medea uccide i suoi figli Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( )

8. Medea - II sec. a.C. (particolare) - Pergamonmuseum - Berlin - Germany
is a tragedy written by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides, based on the myth of Jason and Medea, and particularly Medea’s revenge against Jason for betraying her with another woman.
Medea - II sec. a.C. (particolare) - Pergamonmuseum - Berlin - Germany

9. Pre-Story: Jason and the Golden Fleece
Greek audiences would have known the story of the ill-fated marriage between Jason, hero of the Golden Fleece, and Medea, barbarian witch and princess of Colchis. The modern reader, to fully understand the events of Medea, needs to be familiar with the legends and myths on which the play is based.

10. After the adventures of the Golden Fleece, the Greek hero Jason took his wife Medea into exile at Corinth. However, he then left her, seeking to advance his political ambitions by marrying Glauce, the daughter of King Creon of Corinth.

13. PROLOGUE 1-130
Nurse:
This is what brings the greatest stability at home:
When a woman does not challenge her husband.

14. PROLOGUE 1-130 Nurse: The golden mean, first just to say
its name should win a prize, to apply it
is by far the greatest achievement. But excess
never should have a place in our lives.
It brings all the greater ruin
when some god feels spite toward a house.

15. PROLOGUE 1-130
The Nurse of Medea tells the story of Jason and Medea in Colchis, love and murders. Now Medea hates Jason, however, because he is leaving her for the Princess of Corinth. Medea is remorseful and vengeful.
The Tutor to the children of Medea and Jason brings the children in, and relates the bad news that King Creon of Corinth intends to send Medea into exile along with the children. The Nurse fears what Medea might do and plans to keep the children away from her. Medea's voice is heard, lamenting her situation. The Nurse speaks about the value of moderation.

16. PARODOS
Chorus (Corinthian Women) inquires of the Nurse about Medea's `mood'.
Medea is heard lamenting and begging for death, then threatening vengeance, then suicide.
The chorus consoles her and advises caution.
The Nurse describes Medea's fierce character, and speaks of the sadness of life and the soothing power of music.

17. EPISODE I
Medea: 213 Women of Corinth, I have come out of the house, So that you will not hold anything against me. I know that many people are standoffish, some in the privacy of home and others in the public sphere. Some people, because they are shy, have acquired the ill repute of indifference. There is no justice in people’s perception: There are some who, before they know a person inside out, Hate him on sight, even if they have never been wronged by him.

18. EPISODE I
Medea: 229 Of all creatures that have life and reason We women are the sorriest lot: First we must at a great expenditure of money Buy a husband and even take on a master Over our body: this evil is more galling than the first.

19. EPISODE I
Medea: 246 They say that we live a life free of danger At home while they face battle with the spear. How wrong they are. I would rather stand three times In the life of battle than once bear a child.

20. EPISODE I
Medea enters, and recounts her problems, especially that she is an alien. She also speaks of the problems of married women in general. She speaks of vengeance.
King Creon orders Medea to leave Corinth forthwith. He fears her powers. She cunningly minimizes her power, swears that she will keep the peace, and asks to be allowed to stay. When the King refuses, she uses the argument of parent and child to get him to give her at least another 24 hours. When she is alone, Medea reveals to the Chorus that she got the extra day to accomplish vengeance, through her powers, on her enemies.

21. FIRST STASIMON
Rapid change in the world, with destruction of old standards. Woman's place in society is gaining importance. Medea is an independent and vital person.

22. EPISODE II Medea (to Jason) I have made myself an enemy
To my loved ones at home, the very ones I should not have
Hurt; in helping you I have enemies.

23. EPISODE II
Jason 521 I must, it seems, practice my rhetorical skills, and, like the skillful captain of a ship, shortening my sails, outrun the blasts of your tongue-lashing, woman. And, since you make such a mountain of it I think that Kypris, god of love, was the savior of my expedition, and she was the only one of gods or men. You have a subtle mind, and it would be tedious to go through every detail of the story, how with his inescapable arrows Love compelled you to save me.

24. EPISODE II
Jason and Medea confront each other. Jason claims that Medea is bringing all her problems on herself. He offers her financial support in her exile, but advises her to keep quiet.
Medea attacks Jason and his motives: the divorce is unjust, and a homeless woman with children in a strange land will be a terrible life to live. She insists she helped Jason for selfless motives.
Jason attempts to refute her claims, blaming everything on Aphrodite (Love/Lust), and saying that everything he is doing (including especially the new marriage) is for the benefit of Medea and the children.
Medea objects that he married the Princess secretly, and that he just wanted a younger woman who could help his ambitions. She refuses his financial settlement, and he departs.

25. SECOND STASIMON
Love without control does harm. Moderation is best, above all in love. It is terrible to be an exile from one's native land.

26. EPISODE III
Chorus: Will you dare kill your own flesh and blood, Medea? Medea: Yes, this will cause my husband to feel the most pain. Chorus: But you would be the sorriest of women. Medea: Never mind. All the words are in vain.

27. EPISODE III
King Aegeus of Athens (future father of Theseus), who is passing through Corinth from Delphi to Troezen, greets Medea.
She explains she is about to be exiled and asks for refuge in Athens. She promises Aegeus help in producing a child, in exchange for an oath that he will never expel her from Athens or turn her over to her enemies.
After Aegeus departs, the thought of children helps Medea to fix her plan for revenge--to destroy Jason's hopes of children and a family. She will pretend to be reconciled to her situation, but will send (poisoned) gifts to the Princess by the hands of Jason's children.
Then she will kill the children.

28. THIRD STASIMON
Praise of Athens. Athens is blessed. But how can Athens accept a murderess, one who has killed her own children? How could a mother do such a thing?

29. EPISODE IV
Medea: It's nothing. I was thinking about my children. Jason: Cheer up now. I will do right by them. Yes. . . as you say. I do not disbelieve your words. But a woman is a mere female naturally given to tears. Why then are you grieving over your children? I gave birth to them. And when you prayed that they would live, pity came over me wondering if this would happen. Some of the reasons I had for inviting you into this exchange have already been said

30. EPISODE IV
Jason visits Medea again. She begs forgiveness (though deceitfully) for what she only recently said to him, pretending that she `understands'. He is delighted. She asks him to talk to King Creon and get permission for the children to stay in Corinth.
She sends gifts to Jason's new wife by way of the children--a poisoned crown and a robe.

31. FOURTH STASIMON
Pity for the children and Medea, for the children who will be part of Medea's murderous plans, for Medea who will commit murder.

32. EPISODE V
The Tutor announces that the decree of banishment will not be imposed on the children.
Medea, however, is in a quandary: whether love of her children is more important, or the desire to punish Jason by killing them. Her resolve weakens, motherly love exerts itself.
But finally her hatred wins out.

33. FIFTH STASIMON
It is rare for a woman to be wise. People without children avoid cares; children do not always fill parental expectations.

34. EXODOS You abomination, you vilest, most hateful woman,
Jason:
You abomination, you vilest, most hateful woman,
to the gods and to me and to the whole human race.
You had the heart to take the sword to your own children
to whom you gave birth,
and you have left me childless and devastated.
You did these things. How can you still look on the sunlight
and earth, after daring the most appalling deed?
Damn you. Now I see it, I didn't understand it then,
when I brought you, so hideous a monster, into Greece,
from your home and that barbarous land,
betrayer of your father and the country that reared you.
The gods have hurled you as an avenging spirit against me.
For you killed your brother at the hearth
and then boarded the beautiful ship Argo.
That is where you started.
EXODOS

35. EXODOS
The Messenger Speech: The death of the Princess and then of King Creon is described to Medea and the Chorus; she gloats, then rushes inside to kill her children. The sound of their cries reaches the audience.
Jason enters, expecting to rescue his children from the citizens of Corinth, who are angry at the role they played in the death of the Royal Family.
Medea appears, above the stage in a chariot drawn by dragons (Deus ex machina), with the bodies of the children. Jason asks for the bodies, in order to bury them, but he is refused.
Medea predicts Jason's future and death, leaving him a broken man. She flies off to Athens.

36. Character Analysis: Medea
Medea's character:
benevolent?
capacity to love?
self-deceptive?
wild/barbarian?
quality of her intelligence?
Why does King Creon fear Medea?

37. Character Analysis: Jason
Jason's character:
What of his motives, expressed in the speech in Episode II?
Is he sincere?
A schemer?

38. Analyzing Revenge What do you make of the nature of Medea's revenge?
Appropriate?
Immoderate?
Why must the children die?
Does she take pleasure in the deeds?

39. Themes The play explores many universal themes:
passion and rage (Medea is a woman of extreme behaviour and emotion, and Jason’s betrayal of her has transformed her passion into rage and intemperate destruction);
revenge (Medea is willing to sacrifice everything to make her revenge perfect); greatness and pride (the Greeks were fascinated by the thin line between greatness and hubris, or pride, and the idea that the same traits that make a man or woman great can lead to their destruction);
the Other (Medea's exotic foreignness is emphasized, made still worse by her status as an exile, although Euripides shows during the play that the Other is not exclusively something external to Greece);
intelligence and manipulation (Jason and Creon both try their hands at manipulation, but Medea is the master of manipulation, playing perfectly on the weaknesses and needs of both her enemies and her friends); and
justice in an unjust society (especially where women are concerned).