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Medea: Two Reasons She is not Wicked
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Authored by Frank Redmond, 2013
“O Zeus, why is it you have given men clear ways of testing whether gold is counterfeit but, when it comes to men, the body carries no stamp of nature for distinguishing bad from good?” (516-519).
For all the people in the world, past and present, not one of them has ever been purely wicked. Nor has anyone ever been purely blameless. Like the aforementioned quote states, it is impossible to know when it comes to men who is bad and who is good. However that does not mean thatThere is no litmus test to judge the souls of people; however, there is truth to the fact that no person is purely wicked or purely good, if we take pure wickedness to mean they are always committing wicked acts and if pure blamelessness means that they are always executing positive acts. This is simply not true, for we all do good deeds and we all err. Therefore, everyone fails in between these two extremes, and this is true of Medea. For Medea, while exhibiting cruel and savage behavior throughout, is far from being entirely wicked. In fact, Medea has good reason to be greatly upset. The wrongs which have been done to her are immense in proportion. and to do her crimes because of the wrongs which have been done to her. It is these wrongs done to her that cause her to go over the edge into cruelty. She is not innately wicked, but rather she is a woman deeply set on revenge. This behavior is perfectly understandable given what has occurred to her world, which was virtually rent into two. Furthermore, Medea is not entirely wicked due to the fact that she does display a conscience in the play. She is affected by her decision to murder her children; her choice is clearly not easy. If she were totally wicked, the choice of murder over preservation would be simple. But we see the opposite occur in the mind of Medea as she obviously suffers a great deal from her decision.
From the outset of the play, Medea is portrayed as an innocent victim to Jason's transgression. Jason is the fiendish one and the one who sparks the situation at hand. Medea has no hand in Jason's abrupt and daring decision to abandon Medea and the children for the daughter of Creon. She truly is an innocent victim. The nurse evokes this sentiment saying: “Jason has betrayed my lady and his own children for a princess' bed; he has married the daughter of Creon, ruler of this land. And Medea, poor lady, dishonored in this way, cries out 'What about hisMedea Is Not Entirely Wicked: Two Major Reasons
“O Zeus, why is it you have given men clear ways of testing whether gold is counterfeit but, when it comes to men, the body carries no stamp of nature for distinguishing bad from good?” (516-519).
For all the people in the world, past and present, not one of them has ever been purely wicked. Nor has anyone ever been purely blameless. Like the aforementioned quote states, it is impossible to know when it comes to men who is bad and who is good. However that does not mean thatThere is no litmus test to judge the souls of people; however, there is truth to the fact that no person is purely wicked or purely good, if we take pure wickedness to mean they are always committing wicked acts and if pure blamelessness means that they are always executing positive acts. This is simply not true, for we all do good deeds and we all err. Therefore, everyone fails in between these two extremes, and this is true of Medea. For Medea, while exhibiting cruel and savage behavior throughout, is far from being entirely wicked. In fact, Medea has good reason to be greatly upset. The wrongs which have been done to her are immense in proportion. and to do her crimes because of the wrongs which have been done to her. It is these wrongs done to her that cause her to go over the edge into cruelty. She is not innately wicked, but rather she is a woman deeply set on revenge. This behavior is perfectly understandable given what has occurred to her world, which was virtually rent into two. Furthermore, Medea is not entirely wicked due to the fact that she does display a conscience in the play. She is affected by her decision to murder her children; her choice is clearly not easy. If she were totally wicked, the choice of murder over preservation would be simple. But we see the opposite occur in the mind of Medea as she obviously suffers a great deal from her decision.
From the outset of the play, Medea is portrayed as an innocent victim to Jason's transgression. Jason is the fiendish one and the one who sparks the situation at hand. Medea has no hand in Jason's abrupt and daring decision to abandon Medea and the children for the daughter of Creon. She truly is an innocent victim. The nurse evokes this sentiment saying: “Jason has betrayed my lady and his own children for a princess' bed; he has married the daughter of Creon, ruler of this land. And Medea, poor lady, dishonored in this way, cries out 'What about his oaths? His right hand that clasped mine and pledged his heart?'” (18-22). The victimhood of Medea makes her crimes more palatable and easier to understand. If Medea had a role to play in Jason's betrayal, if she did something to make Jason leave, then her later actions would be totally inexcusable as they would be based on nothing but wickedness. But this is not the case. Jason threw the first blow and this blow enticed Medea into thinking of getting back at Jason for his transgression. It is true that Medea prior to this whole incident was not totally wicked. It was just this incident that made a change in her mind towards murder. Medea did after all help Jason obtain the Golden Fleece and helped to rejuvenate Jason's father. She does have a caring, tender side to her and this precludes her from being totally wicked. However, the nurse correctly expresses concern saying: “She hates her children and takes no pleasure in seeing them. My fear is she may hatch some unheard-of scheme. She is no ordinary woman; no one making an enemy of her will win an easy victory, take it from me” (38-43).
Medea is further victimized by Creon. His order for her to evacuate his city immediately certainly added fuel to the blazing fire. He declares:
“You there, Medea, with your sullen looks and angry feeling towards your husband, I order you to leave this land and become an exile, taking with you you two sons, and to lose no time. I am sole arbiter of this decree and shall not return to my palace until I banish you beyond this country's boundaries” (272-277).
Creon openly admits later that he “fears” Medea. Her wants her gone so she cannot harm his daughter and her new husband Jason. This pronouncement of exile is yet another reason why Medea proceeds to do cruel deeds in the play like the murder of Creon's daughter and subsequent fall of Creon himself.
Furthermore, Medea is supercharged with fury ready to be unleashed upon something. Her goal from the outset has been to injure, to torture Jason as much as possible in order that he might see what a foolish choice he has made. The nurse expresses Medea's rage saying: “I've already seen her glaring at [the children] like a bull, as if she wanted to do something awful. I'm sure of one thing, that anger of hers won't die down until someone's felt the force of her thunderbolt” (92-95). It not that Medea is angry with her children; rather her anger towards Jason has caused her to be angry with the children indirectly, for the only connection left between her and Jason is the children. Therefore, she likely sees it fit to harm the children to get back at Jason. The children become a bridge of sorts, a way for Medea to injure Jason swiftly and directly. This, in a way, justifies the reason why Medea murdered her children. Medea has every right to be upset as the chorus says, “It is just that you should take revenge upon your husband. Your grief at what has happened causes me no surprise” (266-269). Medea thinks that the best way to get revenge is by murdering the children, heinous as that may sound.
“It makes me groan to think of what deed I must do next. For I shall kill my own children; no one shall take them from me” (790-792; my emphasis).
“I gave them birth. When you prayed for a long time for them, I felt a pang of pity at the thought that this might happen” (930-931).
“Oh stubborn heart of mine! What misery it has cost me! It was all for nothing, then, children, that I reared you, all for nothing that I struggled and knew the agony of labor, suffering needlessly those stabbing pains when you were born?” (1028-1032).
“Robbed of your company, I shall endure a life that brings me sorrow and pain. An you, you will look no more at your mother with those eyes I love, once you have passed on to another form of life” (1036-1039).
“Why do you fix your eyes on me, children? Why smile at me that last smile? Ah, the pain! What shall I do? My heart dissolves, ladies, when I see the shining faces of my children!” (1040-1043).
“Ah, stop, my heart, do not do this deed! Let them be, poor fool, spare you children. No, by those vengeful spirits that will bring you joy” (1057-1058).
“Give me your hands, children, give you mother your hands to kiss! O hands I love you so much, dear, dear lips, my children, my pretty ones with you faces so noble! All happiness be yours, but not here! You have lost this world, thanks to your father. O how I love to hug them! The softness of their skin, the sweetness of their breath, my darling ones! Away, inside with you! I cannot look at you any more; my sorrows overwhelm me.” (1070-1077). oaths? His right hand that clasped mine and pledged his heart?'” (18-22). The victimhood of Medea makes her crimes more palatable and easier to understand. If Medea had a role to play in Jason's betrayal, if she did something to make Jason leave, then her later actions would be totally inexcusable as they would be based on nothing but wickedness. But this is not the case. Jason threw the first blow and this blow enticed Medea into thinking of getting back at Jason for his transgression. It is true that Medea prior to this whole incident was not totally wicked. It was just this incident that made a change in her mind towards murder. Medea did after all help Jason obtain the Golden Fleece and helped to rejuvenate Jason's father. She does have a caring, tender side to her and this precludes her from being totally wicked. However, the nurse correctly expresses concern saying: “She hates her children and takes no pleasure in seeing them. My fear is she may hatch some unheard-of scheme. She is no ordinary woman; no one making an enemy of her will win an easy victory, take it from me” (38-43).
Medea is further victimized by Creon. His order for her to evacuate his city immediately certainly added fuel to the blazing fire. He declares:
“You there, Medea, with your sullen looks and angry feeling towards your husband, I order you to leave this land and become an exile, taking with you you two sons, and to lose no time. I am sole arbiter of this decree and shall not return to my palace until I banish you beyond this country's boundaries” (272-277).
Creon openly admits later that he “fears” Medea. Her wants her gone so she cannot harm his daughter and her new husband Jason. This pronouncement of exile is yet another reason why Medea proceeds to do cruel deeds in the play like the murder of Creon's daughter and subsequent fall of Creon himself.
Furthermore, Medea is supercharged with fury ready to be unleashed upon something. Her goal from the outset has been to injure, to torture Jason as much as possible in order that he might see what a foolish choice he has made. The nurse expresses Medea's rage saying: “I've already seen her glaring at [the children] like a bull, as if she wanted to do something awful. I'm sure of one thing, that anger of hers won't die down until someone's felt the force of her thunderbolt” (92-95). It not that Medea is angry with her children; rather her anger towards Jason has caused her to be angry with the children indirectly, for the only connection left between her and Jason is the children. Therefore, she likely sees it fit to harm the children to get back at Jason. The children become a bridge of sorts, a way for Medea to injure Jason swiftly and directly. This, in a way, justifies the reason why Medea murdered her children. Medea has every right to be upset as the chorus says, “It is just that you should take revenge upon your husband. Your grief at what has happened causes me no surprise” (266-269). Medea thinks that the best way to get revenge is by murdering the children, heinous as that may sound.
“It makes me groan to think of what deed I must do next. For I shall kill my own children; no one shall take them from me” (790-792; my emphasis).
“I gave them birth. When you prayed for a long time for them, I felt a pang of pity at the thought that this might happen” (930-931).
“Oh stubborn heart of mine! What misery it has cost me! It was all for nothing, then, children, that I reared you, all for nothing that I struggled and knew the agony of labor, suffering needlessly those stabbing pains when you were born?” (1028-1032).
“Robbed of your company, I shall endure a life that brings me sorrow and pain. An you, you will look no more at your mother with those eyes I love, once you have passed on to another form of life” (1036-1039).
“Why do you fix your eyes on me, children? Why smile at me that last smile? Ah, the pain! What shall I do? My heart dissolves, ladies, when I see the shining faces of my children!” (1040-1043).
“Ah, stop, my heart, do not do this deed! Let them be, poor fool, spare you children. No, by those vengeful spirits that will bring you joy” (1057-1058).
“Give me your hands, children, give you mother your hands to kiss! O hands I love you so much, dear, dear lips, my children, my pretty ones with you faces so noble! All happiness be yours, but not here! You have lost this world, thanks to your father. O how I love to hug them! The softness of their skin, the sweetness of their breath, my darling ones! Away, inside with you! I cannot look at you any more; my sorrows overwhelm me.” (1070-1077).