Socio-political ideas in Medea Essay

Medea

The socio-political context of Euripides Medea reflects an Athens suffering the loss of democratic ideals. The play reflects many different concerns of the Athenian people of the time. One of the most prominent aspects is the corrupt ruling class that all characters in Medea have to endure in such harsh times after the Peloponnese War: Jason and his abuse of freedom and power, the aftereffect of Medea and her agonizing cries to make her and the ones she loves cry along side her, and just all of Athens slowly drifting down the river of Styx, fearful of even the smallest shadows.

Jason often flaunted his cockiness with status, money, and friends. He smugly tells Medea to my friends who will treat you will while also offering my money to help you. Medea refuses any help from the prince-to-be and is sickened even more by his willingness to just throw his treasures and privileges at her. It is Jasons undeserved luck and social status that evidently forced Medea into her cocoon of insanity. Jason turns Medea into the wreck that she was just dieing to be. It is here that Jason and his newly found friends and family seem to represent Sparta, and lonely Medea, Athens. Jason has power and control while Medea has only her words, wisdom and beliefs. All are crushed when Jason re-enters her life.

Influenced by Jason, Medea announces that we women are the most unfortunate creatures and a woman is prone to crying. Because of Jason, Medea believes that she is useless and serves no purpose within her world, while before she was proud of her feministic ways and hated only those whom deserved hatred. Medea explains that with an excess of wealth it is required to for us to buy a husband and take for out bodies a master: for not to take one is even worse. In her words, she says that womans role in society is less that of a man; that if an woman does not fully give herself to a man, she will be looked down upon, and that it is worse than forced commitment. Medea stayed true to her words, but then realized that perhaps she was wrong. Jason was wealthy, famous, and a soon-to-be prince while she was a hermit beggar. The way of Athens was harsh, but perhaps it was the right way.

I am afraid of you, a statement not only from the mouth of Creon, a great king, but from all of Athens. After the Peloponnesian War, Athens is raped into the bottom of the food chain, becoming the poverty of Greece. The Athenians feared all that they did not understand, even a clever woman such as Medea who only wishes for death. Oh, what use have I for life? I would find my release in death and leave hateful existence behind me, a statement not only spoken from Medea, but pondered by few others. Athens was corrupt, dirty, poor, and the little power they had, was abused. Death seemed like a reasonable option for those who felt as useless as Medea.

The Peloponnese War was an obstacle in the lives of many Athenians that perhaps was just too high of a jump. The fraudulent town of Corinth and the empty city of Athens, both places where many lived in scarcity and barrenness, is where the story of Medea takes place. Jason, an arrogant, saucy womanizer, begins the series of faithless events. He abuses his now owned power and uses it to benefit only himself. Medea, a heartbroken witch, turns her agony into vengeance, making all suffer. And all of Athens and city-states, crying out to be glorious once again terrified to dig any deeper for theres a slight chance that they might just dig all the way down to the underworld.

Bibliography: "Medea" by Euripides