Exploring Medea's Tragic Heroism in Euripides' Play

This essay provides an analysis of Medea, focusing on her character and the tragic events that unfold in Euripides' play. It explores her motivations, the impact of her husband's actions, and her transformation into a tragic hero. The essay examines the plot elements, including the falling action and resolution, to understand the consequences of Medea's choices. It highlights the themes of love, betrayal, and revenge that drive her actions, ultimately leading to the destruction of her family and herself. The essay references several sources to support its analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of Medea's complex character and the play's enduring impact.

Running Head: Medea 0
Medea
The Tragic Hero
SEPTEMBER 1, 2019
Student DETAILS
Student Number

Medea 1
Medea and her tragic story:
Medea had been a strong, loving and influential woman in her time. She truly loved her
children and her husband, Jason as well. But after Jason left her to marry the daughter of
King Creon, she was shattered. She had devoted her life to this man who now got married to
another making her a character of ridicule in front of the whole society (Napa Valley, 2019).
The plot elements being used here are the Falling Action and the Resolution (Voelker, 2017).
The protagonist feels cheated and heartbroken due to her husband’s actions and hence,
commits the ‘dreadful act’ of killing her children, Jason’s new wife and her father, in order to
take revenge from her husband (Napa Valley, 2019). Which she does, as Jason is petrified by
the end of the play for losing everything. For Medea, her love for Jason was much more than
her maternal love (Extraessay, 2019).
Her actions were a sign of oppression that she had been bearing throughout, even by her
husband. The reaction to which was so revolting and disturbing against the hurt and abuse she
felt, led to so many lives being destroyed. The gods helped her to flee using the dragon
chariot because they understood the situation, she was in. She had a mental breakdown due to
the circumstances and just wanted to find a safe place, hence, the gods helped her (Shmoop,
2019).
The protagonist, Medea, can be defined as a ‘Tragic Hero’ as she in the process of destroying
everyone around her, she destroyed herself the most as she lost everything, her husband, her
sons and her family as a whole (Wart Games, 2019).
References

Medea 2
Extraessay, 2019. Extraessay. [Online]
Available at: https://literatureessaysamples.com/category/medea/
[Accessed 19 September 2019].
Napa Valley, 2019. Napa Valley. [Online]
Available at: http://www.napavalley.edu/people/LYanover/Documents/English%20121/
English%20121%20Euripides%20Medea.pdf
[Accessed 19 September 2019].
Shmoop, 2019. Shmoop. [Online]
Available at: https://www.shmoop.com/medea/ending.html
[Accessed 19 September 2019].
Voelker, M., 2017. Pen and the Pad. [Online]
Available at: https://penandthepad.com/five-elements-plot-conflict-4472.html
[Accessed 19 September 2019].
Wart Games, 2019. Wart Games. [Online]
Available at: https://www.wartgames.com/essays/medea/100.html
[Accessed 19 September 2019].