When concerning Medea, with Jason as the tragic hero, reader’s come to the conclusion that Jason is the cause of this cause and effect situation of death that durates the story. In Euripides’ Medea readers sympathize with Medea and her mental deterioration initiated and accelerated by Jason’s greed, acts of misogyny, and dehumanization towards Medea which, in turn, spreads tragedy and brings suffering to the community. One can either find Medea or Jason to be the tragic hero of this tale. While Medea is obviously the main character of this tragedy, it is easily arguable about who the hero is. However, Jason better fits the criteria of a tragic hero than Medea. Jason is of noble birth, in fact, he is currently the King which will allow for
…show more content…
Jason was not the one who stabbed his two sons. Nor was Jason the one that killed Creüsa using her own greed and, in turn, kills Creon in the same instance. Nonetheless, Jason is to be indirectly blamed for the communally tragic deaths of these people. It is known by the people who reside in the kingdom that it is Jason who brought upon the mental distress that Medea experienced. It was after one of Medea’s incidents of sorrow, in which she repeated the word death, that one of the greek women who comforts Medea says “I hate Jason, who made this sorrow”(119). This comment allows for the reader to make a direct connection between the depressed Medea who only cares about dying and it being Jason who is at fault. That while the audience never saw Jason’s act of betrayal and may not know of The Quest of the Golden Fleece, the story in which Medea fell for Jason, it is now known to all that Jason is the cause for Medea’s current mental state. If Jason did not greedily crave the power that marrying Creüsa would give him then Medea would never be wounded by Jason’s act of betrayal. Even if Medea and Jason did not stay together in some alternate scenario it would not be because of Jason’s
Jason was not the one who stabbed his two sons. Nor was Jason the one that killed Creüsa using her own greed and, in turn, kills Creon in the same instance. Nonetheless, Jason is to be indirectly blamed for the communally tragic deaths of these people. It is known by the people who reside in the kingdom that it is Jason who brought upon the mental distress that Medea experienced. It was after one of Medea’s incidents of sorrow, in which she repeated the word death, that one of the greek women who comforts Medea says “I hate Jason, who made this sorrow”(119). This comment allows for the reader to make a direct connection between the depressed Medea who only cares about dying and it being Jason who is at fault. That while the audience never saw Jason’s act of betrayal and may not know of The Quest of the Golden Fleece, the story in which Medea fell for Jason, it is now known to all that Jason is the cause for Medea’s current mental state. If Jason did not greedily crave the power that marrying Creüsa would give him then Medea would never be wounded by Jason’s act of betrayal. Even if Medea and Jason did not stay together in some alternate scenario it would not be because of Jason’s