Medea by Euripides | Summary & Analysis

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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes of Euripides's play Medea.
Download the free study guide and infographic for Medea here: www.coursehero.com/lit/Medea/...
Euripides's classic tragedy Medea delves into the consequences of betrayal and revenge as few other plays do.
The title character, dumped by her husband, the adventurer Jason, in favor of a newer, younger woman, does not take her dismissal lightly. Rather than slinking into the shadows to recover her lost dignity, Medea enacts a vicious and dramatic revenge plot that ends in the death of her own children by Jason.
Her cruel but effective ploy has enshrined her in the pantheon of figures from Greek myth as a cautionary figure: the woman who is not content to accept her fate at the hands of men.
Medea is not to be trifled with and her reactions to Jason's disrespect constitute some of the most memorable scenes in all of theatrical history.
Did you know? The Medea Syndrome, also called spousal revenge, refers to a parent who murders their children as a way of getting revenge on the other parent. It is often sparked by a divorce or another extreme life event.
Euripides is considered one of three great Greek tragic dramatists, and his play Medea was first performed in 431 BCE. He wrote nontraditional plays that captured universal emotions while exploring new topics, such as strong female characters, thinking slaves, and satirical heroes. Today, his character Medea has become synonymous with the spurned woman in popular culture.
This Greek tragedy contains many powerful symbols, including the poisoned crown representing Jason’s ambition and Medea’s revenge, cries within the marriage house representing the pain of betrayal, and the golden chariot representing Medea’s pride, victory, and divine nature. Other themes explored include betrayal, passion, and revenge.
Explore Course Hero’s collection of free literature study guides, Q&A pairs, and infographics here: www.coursehero.com/lit/
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[@korialogo]

This dude (along with whoever else created this) is a lifesaver. Also, this video is just really well-done in general. At least in my opinion.

[@Someonelikekanye]

Just gotta say, this mans intensity makes this video so entertaining thus very easy to watch. Bravo

[@damonika09]

She really is the definition of, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

[@aiyah8881]

I love his tone while talking. It forces me to pay attention and makes it more entertaining!!

[@lu-vu3xk]

why is he narrating this play like a TMZ host laying the latest hot gossip?

[@headyshotta5777]

i like it XD. it is a very scandalous play if u think about it

[@Arte.mi.]

I know, it’s annoying

[@mariaarredondo7642]

Killed her kids?! Spill the tea sis

[@yasashii89]

Because he's gay.

[@tsmith9373]

I think he talks like that to grab and hold people’s attention. And I think for the most part, it works. (Just my opinion.)

[@eddishh]

thanks for letting me watch this instead of reading 70 pages, saved me some time :D

[@--astro]

*love without passion, but with moderation and wisdom is better, because it does not breed destruction* damn

[@garfieldlasagna294]

double whatever you are paying this man

[@niknaython1979]

When I saw this was by course hero, I assumed we would have to buy a membership or something to watch the video XD

[@maxbrunette1737]

Medea didn't have magical powers because she had the blood of gods she had magical powers because she learned them. she was a student of Hecate and her father was a powerful immortal sorcerer. Medea was powerful because she was a woman who could do things that the men around her couldn't, not only with spells but she was also extremely cunning and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. When you look at powerful women like Medea in greek myths they kind of have to be scary they have to do evil things to survive, lest you become the woman who dies at the end.

[@maria-clara7381]

Medea is a granddaughter of helios

[@creativecolours2022]

Also she didn't kill her children because she didn't love them neither in order to just hurt Jason. He could just kill him as well after all. She killed the children because they were boys and royal descendants. By killing his sons she left him childless and without any heirs of royal ancestry. And that because Jason was extremely ambitious to become a king himself. That is the reason why he went to the Quest for the Golden Fleece after all. He wanted to take the throne from Pelias that was his half uncle and king of Thessaly. Medea helped him to get the Golden Fleece and he married her because she was herself the daughter of a king. And then after having two sons with her she abandoned her to go for another heiress and another kingdom. If Medea didn't kill the children Jason would have had the heirs of one kingdom and the wife and probably the children heirs of a second kingdom. Medea by killing the new wife and her father (he was collateral damage) and the children she left Jason exactly where he started.

[@PungiFungi]

@@creativecolours2022 it seems everybody had forgot that Medea did not fall in love with Jason on her own, that was because Hera made sure Eros shot her with one of his arrows. One can only speculate when divine intervention ends and personal agency begins with Medea. At time went on, as Medea continued to help Jason,. she just goes to the nth degree, way beyond what is necessary, resorting to deception and murder in the most gruesome fashion. So just as she helped Jason with such fanatical zeal, she sought revenge on the same level. It appears Eros' arrow droved her insane.

[@emmah7255]

Great video! She actually kills her children because she doesn't want her enemies to take their revenge out on them though.

[@mistersmith1883]

Important detail

[@margaritavlacci]

It's both - she tells Jason she did it to hurt him, but in her monologue talks about not wanting her enemies to hurt her children.

[@ajiusasikander1701]

The myth of Medea killing her own children does not exist before the fifth century BCE. It is a later addition by writers promoting a patriarchal society.

[@margaritavlacci]

@@LorentJalabert Well, actually, yeah. In no world were those kids not getting killed after what Medea did, but what her enemies would've done to the kids would by far be worse than how Medea murdered them.

[@talen8969]

It’s bc she didn’t want Jason to have any heirs to the throne

[@MuhammadAli-kg7ij]

Thank you so much sir, I appreciate the hardwork you put in video as a English language and literature student, this summary and analysis will help me a lot in my exam of the Origins of Western Literature tomorrow

[@1shot65]

this video is on another level this is so well done

[@loreenamiguez6256]

Your videos are amazing! I learn so much!

[@Kellycreator]

Awesome video. Thanks so much 😊

[@ameri7260]

thank you sir for your amazing analyze and explanation

[@DennisHeikki]

You guys are absolute legends!

[@reddeadmj2756]

Very well done summary.

[@berineatieno3533]

Thanks for this😊

[@aileneaugustine8187]

Thanks my dude

[@nabster309]

This helped a lot

[@seraymemis1766]

Your videos are so helpful to understand the plays. Can you analyse "Everyman" play? :)

[@source7431]

guess that never happened 💀

[@nicolemanning98]

THANK YOU

[@ceasarandrepont1243]

Thank you!

[@ROD_GAMING_YT]

Thankyou!❤️

[@grownman511]

love. very helpful

[@nicoleagostini9245]

GREAT VIDEO

[@rogerchater4784]

ur clutch asf brooo

[@quizguru9563]

We totally sure I made questions round the indicated issue.

[@mistersmith1883]

Yes. Medea is still very sympathetic

[@nikolaisheremetev885]

If i'm referencing this in an essay, is Russel Jaffe the author? or is the author Course Hero, and he is just narrating?

[@nikolaisheremetev885]

@@gulkucuk7696 you still need to reference anything paraphrased or summarised in academia, and telling a uni student not to use youtube videos as reference in an academic video just ignores the current landscape of academia, and belittles the incredible efforts of educators and academics that use this platform.

[@shelbzcheez]

i know this comment is a year old but just as reference for anyone else looking at this answer, i would cite course hero since that is the ultimate company this information is published through!

[@clownrecords2869]

@@nikolaisheremetev885 I strongly disagree, if you are using youtube as reference points for academic essays, you will not get a good grade.

[@wotanwanderer9539]

It's so intense

[@hurrikane4383]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! YOU SAVED MY LİFE

[@kidicarus1782]

This did not go over her conversation with the king from the other state who granted her protection if she came to his country once she was exiled. Really important to know. Edit: it does mention him

[@speedofli9ht89]

Nate Hall that was Aegeus

[@bjzzzz]

Aegueus is mentioned at 1:57 :)

[@brandonselders719]

Much love

[@Ram-iz1zp]

ty brother

[@SH-sx6no]

Add subtitle , it helps to understand

[@flowerrat5055]

RIP Medea you would've loved Cerslay Lannister 🗣️🔥‼️

[@sisterspoof23]

wig

[@wotanwanderer9539]

How would have the Greeks watched that in stage back then? Its so tragic, unbearable .

[@human6287]

Have this in school, in German and I'm from Germany😂you help me best👍

[@realser9]

*_#GreatJob_* 🙌 📚

[@mikelawrence1556]

9:39

[@repressedtears8568]

she's so cool

[@isaiahrisueno1998]

🔥

[@luzepodilla971]

Is it Gucci story?

[@smart_art2761]

Why does she killed her brother ?

[@jazmynegraham81]

So her father can pick up his body while Jason gets away

[@theshellest]

Reading Madea was torturing. Listening to the audio version of it was better, but not great. Watching you summarize it with animation was exciting. A little misleading since the play is boring (to me anyway), but still exciting. Bravo.

[@wotanwanderer9539]

Why did she killed her children instead of killing Jason?

[@inasaraci4498]

Because the death of his children would harm Jason more than simply killing him

[@jessicaribeiro8928]

she wants Jason to suffer

[@maria-clara7381]

It ensures that jason bloodline ends with jason and for a culture thats heavy focus on family lineage thats a big deal

[@simonajaki8572]

Or maybe, in some irrational way, even after all the betrayal, she still loved him? And it was easier for her to imagine her life without a children than him, or she simply wanted to live with conscioussnes of causing him harm …. Even thou just temporary. Ambitchious man like Jason will father new children with new heiress in no time

[@alixbrun2469]

my exam is tomorrow, i really want to say that medea is "not quite human" but idk how the examiner would react...

[@naimurrahman7467]

But my question is : Why didn’t Media take away her childs with her in the chariot? This act of her cannot be justified with anything.

[@MelanieTSaldi]

hi bea aryan & greg!! 💗💗

[@louiselincoln]

1:52 "Gifts from a worthless man are without value." - blimey, is that feminism???

[@kannethabrown8934]

BRUH WHAT IS GOING ON!

[@thesavagereservation]

Euripides; Eumenides...

[@Christian-js9lg]

slow down my duddeee

[@cavity131]

Tolerable at .75x

[@hantnor]

who else is here from mr c’s class?

[@AeneasGemini]

I always find that the analysis of this play fails to see the wood for the trees. The more feminism is connected to this play, the more it seems like feminism is the ideology of the selfish and cruel (perhaps they should stop doing it). For all of the grievances of Medea, no sane person could argue that this is worth snuffing out two innocent lives. The intellectual understanding of this story seems to lose all humanity as it callously disregards the murder of children in favour of a selfish and petty woman. She conveniently abdicates responsibility for her act, as if she possessed no other choices but to cruelly do even more harm to her children than she has had done to her

[@A-G-A-G]

Keep in mind this is a play written by a man in a firmly patriarchal society. Medea isn’t a representation of feminism as it was then or today. In fact it’s shows the sexism of society back then by portraying a powerful and cunning woman as secuming to what was thought to be feminine weakness. Killing her children is the “overly emotional” response sexist society would expect from a woman.

[@ursulastaempfli759]

The last animated picture is ridiculously woke.

[@marvinporcherlove4204]

what do you mean by that?