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Context: Time, Place, and Space
Context: Time, Place, and Space
Time (When the "Medea" Written)
Time (When the "Medea" Written)
Written around 431 BCE
First performed in Athens, Greece
Presented during the Festival of Dionysus, a major Greek theater competition
This was the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (CONFLICT) between Athens and Sparta
Place (Historical and Cultural Context)
Place (Historical and Cultural Context)
Ancient Athens, one of the most powerful city-states in Greece
Athens was developing democracy, philosophy, theater, and the arts
Greek theater was a public civic event where citizens gathered to watch tragedies
Society was patriarchal, meaning men held most power in politics and society
Women had very limited rights, which makes Medea’s powerful voice unusual for the time
Space (Setting of the Play)
Space (Setting of the Play)
The play takes place in Corinth, a powerful Greek city-state
Most of the action occurs outside Medea’s house
Greek tragedies were performed on an open-air stage (amphitheater)
The stage often represented one main location, with limited scenery
A chorus stood in the orchestra space and commented on the action
Actors wore masks and costumes to portray characters and emotions
Gods in Medea
Gods in Medea
Zeus: King of the gods. Associated with justice, oaths, and moral order. Medea calls upon Zeus as a witness to Jason’s betrayal.
Helios: The sun god and Medea’s grandfather. At the end of the play, Helios provides the chariot that helps Medea escape.
Hecate: Goddess of magic, witchcraft, and the night. Medea is devoted to Hecate and draws power from her in spells and revenge.
Aphrodite: Goddess of love and desire. Medea originally fell in love with Jason because of divine influence.
Major Characters in the Play
Major Characters in the Play
Medea: A princess of Colchis and powerful sorceress who helped Jason obtain the Golden Fleece. After Jason betrays her, she seeks revenge. She is intelligent, passionate, and tragic.
Jason: A Greek hero who led the Argonauts to retrieve the Golden Fleece. He betrays Medea by marrying the Princess of Corinth to gain power and status.
Creon: The King of Corinth. He fears Medea’s anger and banishes her from the city, but allows her one day before she must leave.
Glauce (or Creusa): The Princess of Corinth and Creon’s daughter. Jason plans to marry her, which triggers Medea’s revenge.
Aegeus: The King of Athens. He promises Medea refuge in Athens if she comes there.
The Nurse: A servant who cares for Medea and her children. She opens the play and expresses concern about Medea’s anger.
The Tutor: A servant who cares for Medea and Jason’s children and brings news about Jason’s new marriage.
The Chorus of Corinthian Women: A group of women who comment on the events of the play. They sympathize with Medea but also question her extreme actions.
Medea’s Children: The sons of Medea and Jason. They become tragic victims of Medea’s revenge.
Messenger: A character who reports the terrible deaths of the princess and King Creon after Medea’s poisoned gifts are delivered.
The Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece symbolizes:
Power and kingship
Medea’s sacrifice
Jason’s dependence on Medea
The beginning of the tragic conflict
Powerful Lines
Powerful Lines
GLOBAL ISSUES/ Sources
TOK Connections
Emotion vs Reason in Human Decision-Making
AOK: Human Sciences (Psychology) / Ethics
WOK: Emotion and Reason
Connection: Medea’s actions demonstrate the tension between emotion and rational thinking. Although she carefully plans her revenge, her decisions are strongly influenced by anger, betrayal, and heartbreak.
TOK Question:
To what extent do emotions influence human decisions more than reason?
Example in the play:
Medea admits she knows the moral consequences of her actions but allows emotion to override reason.
Cultural Perspective and Bias
AOK: History / Human Sciences
WOK: Language and Perspective
Connection: Medea is treated as a “barbarian” foreigner, revealing how societies construct knowledge about outsiders through language and cultural bias.
TOK Question:
How does cultural perspective shape the way societies judge others?
Example in the play:
Greek characters repeatedly emphasize Medea’s foreign identity, suggesting that knowledge about “others” can be influenced by fear and prejudice.
Ethics and Moral Knowledge
AOK: Ethics
WOK: Intuition and Emotion
Connection: Medea challenges audiences to question moral responsibility and justice. Medea believes revenge is justified, while others see her actions as morally unacceptable.
TOK Question:
Can moral knowledge be universal, or does it depend on perspective and circumstance?
Example in the play:
The Chorus sympathizes with Medea’s suffering but struggles to justify her extreme revenge.
Stylistic Techniques
Stylistic Techniques
Allusions: Frequent references to gods (Helios, Themis, Zeus) and myths (Golden Fleece, Argonauts).
Metaphors/ Similes
Personification
Symbolism:
Crown & Robe: Beauty hiding poison = deceptive revenge.
Chariot: Divine power and Medea’s escape.
The Golden Fleece
Foreshadowing: The Nurse fears Medea’s extreme mind early on.
Dramatic Irony: The audience knows Medea’s deadly plan before Jason does.
Imagery: Vivid descriptions of her rage, grief, and magic.
Dramatic pause: when a character stops speaking or acting for a moment to create suspense, show deep emotion, or make the audience focus on what is unsaid.
Conflicts
Person/Person (External)
Medea vs. Jason: Betrayal and vengeance — the core conflict.
Example: Medea argues Jason betrayed her for a royal marriage.
Medea vs. Creon: She manipulates Creon to gain time for revenge.
Person vs. Self (Internal)
Medea’s Maternal Conflict: She loves her children but kills them to hurt Jason.
Example: Medea’s monologue debating the murder (pages 44–45).
Person vs. Supernatural
Medea vs. Gods/Godesses: In Medea, the protagonist utilizes her divine lineage to invoke supernatural aid. She calls upon the gods, particularly Hecate, and employs dragon-drawn chariots, magical poisons, and enchantments to enact her lethal revenge against Jason. This represents a conflict where mortal struggles intersect with and are directed by divine powers.
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