Medea Misguided Analysis

The Misguided Behavior of Medea

In Medea, Euripides creates a character in Medea who commits many misguided actions in order to fulfill her destiny. The vengeful deeds that Medea perpetrates are heinous themselves, but Medea’s reaction and justification to them are what truly defines her as misguided. Medea proves her erroneous ways by executing acts of murder against King Creon, Jason’s new wife, and even her own children. These operations, however, were preluded by Media killing her own brother, Absyrtus, and deceiving King Pelias’ daughters into slaying their father.
Medea’s misguided ways first began when she was aiding Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Medea had fallen in love with Jason, and agreed
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Jason left Medea, and ruined their marriage. This left Medea both heartbroken and outraged, and she was determined to exact her revenge. Medea wants Jason to suffer, and hopes to achieve this by killing everyone that he loves. This decision to commit harmful actions on the people who have wronged her is what makes Medea such a misguided character. Medea goes on to say, “My friends, I know several ways of causing their death, and I cannot decide which I should turn my hand to first.” (198) The fact that Medea is about to commit a vast number of murders is an abhorrent act in itself, but the fact that she cannot decide how to kill her targets truly shows how misguided Medea is. Medea goes on to conclude that poison will be the optimum way to kill her enemies. In the case of Creusa, Medea decides to poison gifts that she knows Creusa will not be able to refuse. Creusa is shallow and materialistic, and loves receiving gifts. Medea uses this to her advantage, and sends gifts to the princess as a symbol of her apology. She says, “I shall send them with gifts to offer to the bride, to allow them to stay in the land-a dainty robe and a headdress of beaten gold.” (207) The presents are poisoned however, and proceed to catch her on fire and melt the flesh away from her bones. Upon hearing the news of her successful deed, Medea says, “Best of news! From this moment and forever you
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This act is horrendous, and is described by the Chorus in Medea as “the worst evil of all for humanity.” Something terribly wrong must have happened or be wrong with a person for them to murder their own children. Medea justifies the killing of her children by claiming it is the only way to truly make Jason suffer. She goes on to say, “I shall murder my children, these children of mine. No man shall take them away from me.” (207) Medea has definitely proved that she is misguided now, but the Chorus Leader still attempts to convince her not to go through with the murders. Medea replies, “It will hurt my husband most that way.” (208) Medea wanting to commit this act on the sole reason that it will hurt her husband who left her, shows what kind of person she really is. Before actually murdering her children, Medea does start to show some signs of uncertainty and remorse. She contemplates whether or not to kill them, for she really does care for them. She says, “Goodbye to my former plans. I shall take my children away with me.” (213) Medea also goes on to say, “And yet...what is the matter with me? Do I want to make myself a laughingstock by letting my enemies off scot-free?” (213) These are both examples of the decision Medea had to make. Ultimately, Medea chose to slay her children. She explains, “O I do realize how terrible is the crime I am about, but passion