Medea's Speeches

Paper Summary:

Over the course of Euripides's play, "Medea", the protagonist makes five truly significant speeches, which seem to provide the outline for the plot. This paper explains how, in these speeches, Medea addresses the audience or the chorus of women, among whom she seeks a measure of justification and self-understanding. It discusses how, from the beginning, her motivation and determination in destroying Jason's new family is obvious. However, her thoughts regarding the death of her own children seem to vacillate throughout the work. The writer points out that, over the course of these speeches, one sees the development of her revenge, the careful strategic outlay of her plans, and steady struggle with her maternal instincts. It also shows how her womanly desire for revenge and the desire to shelter her children from a harsh reality are portrayed in these speeches.

From the Paper:

"When we first see Medea enter the play, she is hysterical in grief. At that moment, she speaks of hating her children, saying "Children of a hateful mother, I curse you / And you father. Let the whole house crash." (112-113) Of course at the same time she speaks of killing herself as well, so one might chalk these murderous sentiments up to hyperbole. However, these words are significant for two particular reasons -- first that this mad grief belies her later philosophical resignation in speaking with the chorus, and secondly that this is the only time in the course of the play that Medea is ever shown as hating her children or failing to care about them. Here the poet seems to be suggesting that Medea's later murder is driven by hatred, but throughout the remainder of the play and in all of the significant speeches she seems to be far more concerned with the welfare of her children than one might expect."

More papers on Medea's Speeches:

• Analytical Essay # 136920 : "Women Struggles in "The Medea" and "A Doll's House"
• Narrative Essay # 74844 : "Medea: The Monomythic Antihero Cycle"
• Comparison Essay # 85690 : "Medea" and "A Doll's House"

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