In Euripides' Medea, it could be argued that Medea's most tragic flaw is her emotions. Medea embarks on a mission to take revenge on her unfaithful husband Jason, and her retaliation marks its conclusion. Jason's betrayal is the fuel for this revenge, and along the way Medea's emotions overshadow her reasoning. Jason was Medea's closest friend, comfort, and person that she ever truly cared about, and when all of that is taken away from her, Medea goes mad. Her passion for Jason overrides her actions, and this is ultimately Medea's downfall. The first example of Medea's problem managing her emotions is at the very beginning of the play, when the Nurse talks about Medea's act of manipulation towards Pelias' daughters. The manipulation occurred by convincing them to kill their own father. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay This is the audience's first glimpse of Medea's malevolence and foreshadows future events. Shirley Barlow's article Stereotype and Reversal in Euripedes 'Medea' makes a connection to Medea's past: "She has killed before and will kill again without a second thought." (Barlow 162). After the murder of Jason's brother, Pelias, Medea is betrayed by her husband Jason. Jason soon marries Creon's daughter, and Medea's passion for her marriage is demonstrated when the audience hears about her fussiness in eating, her days spent sobbing, and her inability to lift her face in such a state of despair. This desperation soon turns to anger, as she begins to dislike her children and all things associated with Jason. She begins to have thoughts of revenge, and the Nurse explains some of the reckless acts Medea might be thinking of committing: “I am petrified to think what thoughts she might have now: a sharp knife blade stuck right in the liver – it might even hit the family real, kill the groom too, make the disaster worse.” (Gainor, Garner and Puchner 140-141) is the first way for the readers/audience to get an impression of the emotionally distraught state she is in. Medea, and the Nurse's overview highlights the ways in which Medea's emotions control her daily interactions and routines Medea's battle with her emotions is so strong, she describes her thoughts as suicidal Medea's overwhelming feelings take over: “Aaaah! May a fiery arrow from heaven pierce my skull! What do I gain from being alive? Oh, God. How I long for the comfort of death. How I wish I could leave." Her request for an early death shows that Medea has hit rock bottom without Jason. In Stereotype and Inversion in Euripedes' 'Medea', Barlow explains the extremes to which Medea was willing to go: "... she is worried about humiliation at the hands of her enemies, and is determined to do anything, including her own death if necessary, that her enemies might not laugh at her.” (Barlow 161) In Medea's mind, Jason was the glue that held her well-being together, and no words or words of advice from the people around her. she could not even attempt to mend her broken heart. The chorus sings to Zeus when they hear her cries, and the Nurse responds by informing them of how nothing can change Medea's emotional imbalance within moments, Medea's deep pain is transformed in vengeful anger. Medea begs Creon to be able to stay with her children in the palace one more day, so that she can find refuge and settle her life. Creon agrees, and soon after theirsconversation, Medea is enthusiastic about his ability to manipulate: "... he gave me a single day to transform three enemies into three corpses: the father, the bride and my husband." (Gainor, Garner, and Puchner 148). Medea then begins her plan, and associates her plan for revenge with an act of courage, and also with something she must do to feel good. Medea soon becomes engaged to Jason. Her emotions are quickly transformed once again and their conversation shows her anger and pain caused by Jason's actions. Medea insults him, reminds him of all the ways he supported her and how he was turned into a person with a bad reputation. Jason responds to the conversation in ways that validate his weaknesses and unreliability. In Medea's next conversation, she talks to an old friend Aegeus, and her mood once again changes quite quickly. In this scene, Medea is able to mask her emotions and speak to Egeus in a much calmer attitude. She asks to stay with him for refuge and is able to mention her thoughts about Jason in rational conversation. Medea is able to pull herself together in crisis mode, and this shows the audience how willing she is to control her emotions if the circumstances are right for her. Egeus agrees to let Medea stay with him on the condition that Medea finds her way to his home. After Aegeus' departure, Medea reveals her future plans; involving the manipulation and murder of all people linked to Jason. His emotions of passion, anger, and deep sorrow are so strong that he desires to inflict pain on the princess in hopes that she will die a terrible death. She then goes on to explain how her deep desperation brings her before the murder of her own children, but admits that the act is necessary to ruin Jason and not be humiliated by her enemies. Immediately following her expression of hatred towards Jason and anyone connected to him, Medea has an epiphany and comes to the conclusion that she is truly alone. He comes to terms with the knowledge that in moments of desperation and desperation he has no one person to turn to. Once again, she has suicidal thoughts and reveals her regret at leaving her father's house to have a relationship with Jason. The chorus then asks her to stop her plan, and she responds by explaining that there is no other plausible solution other than murdering the princess and her children to emotionally hurt Jason in the worst possible way. In lines 1040-1075, Medea reveals her thoughts on the meaning of the relationship between her and her two children. He feels remorse that he will have to kill them, but once again his revenge on Jason triumphs. Medea's selfishness shines through in particular on page 164 of Gainor, Garner and Puchner's text: “Oh, children, children, you two have a city and a home, in which you will live forever separated from your mother. You will leave poor me behind.”. This is evidence that Medea also sees the murder of her children as the responsibility and cause of Jason's actions. He tells the audience how he will forever live the rest of his life in pain and sees the murder as a sacrifice. So for a moment he has thoughts of hesitation and has a split second of sanity. Sanity is soon followed by her usual self-centered thoughts, and Medea once again confirms her revenge with the betrayal between her and Jason as the cause. In the act of killing her own children, she is undoubtedly the most emotional Medea in the entire work. . The scene begins with Medea talking alone: “My friends, it is decided; I must kill my children as soon as possible and leave this earth before I give my enemies the chance to slaughter them with a hand moved by hatred.” (Gainor, Garner, and Puchner 169). These lines imply that Medea,. 135-174.
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