Medea By Euripides Research Paper

Medea is an Ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides about a woman that does not focus on women’s rights, but women’s wrongs. These wrongs are not necessarily done by Medea but also done unto Medea by Jason and Creon. Euripides, in writing this tragedy, specifically points out social injustices that, in his opinion, were important during that time period. While Medea could just be crazy, injustices within Ancient Greek society are specifically highlighted by Euripides because he could see the need for women’s rights in Ancient Greece and the trials that women faced on a day to day basis. Interestingly enough many of these injustices are still common in today’s society.
Every character in the tragedy, with exception to the tutor and nurse, experiences injustices in some form or another. An example of one injustice towards Medea is Jason marrying the king’s daughter so that he may enhance his own social standing. …show more content…
The “psychotic” behavior exhibited by Medea is directly correlated to the injustices endured by women of that time period. These injustices were highlighted by Euripides to make women’s issues better known and said in a male point of view. The points that Euripides felt were important are still quite prominent in the advocation for women’s rights today. The main example of an injustice that Euripides felt needed to be highlighted was the fact that Medea was not only obedient to Jason but supplied him with sons and he still left her for another woman. Medea fulfilled all of the requirements, in that time period, of a good wife and yet her reward was ultimately a death sentence. To further elaborate on this injustice Medea not only left her home country but murdered her own brother to be with Jason. Essentially Medea gave up everything for Jason only to be left in exile with her two children. However, Jason forgot what Medea was capable