Emotional Medea Sabrina A Collins College

In Euripides’ Medea, one could argue that Medea’s most tragic flaw is her emotions. Medea goes on a quest to seek revenge on her unfaithful husband Jason and her retaliation is her closure. 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 she ever truly cared for, and when this is all taken away, Medea goes crazy. Her passion for Jason overrules her actions, and this is ultimately Medea’s downfall. The first example of Medea’s issue of dealing with her emotions is in the very beginning of the play when the Nurse speaks of Medea’s act of manipulation of Pelias’ daughters. The manipulation occurred when convincing them to kill their own father. This is the audience’s first taste of Medea’s malevolence, and it foreshadows the future events. Shirley Barlow’s article Stereotype and Reversal in Euripedes’ ‘Medea’ makes a connection to Medea’s past: “She has killed before and she 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 as the audience...