How Does Medea Influence Creon

Names have power in the Ancient Greek world, especially for heroes. They represent one’s legacy and identity. When Odysseus fights the fearsome Polyphemus he cleverly introduces himself as Nobody. Later, when he returns home, he masquerades himself as a beggar to spy on the suitors. Names have the power to conceal and reveal at critical moments. In Euripides’ Medea, the characters never name Medea’s rival, Glauce. In Glauce’s case, Euripides manipulates his audience’s expectations of women and Grecian values of legacies, while emphasizing Medea’s shrewdness and godly favor.
Jason justifies his oath breaking by claiming it ultimately serves Medea and his children. “My object was… that we should live well and not be in want… and that I should
Medea represents a willful force who directly participates with fate. Glauce is merely a player to enact justice for Jason’s wrongdoing. Euripides enforces Medea’s strength through her descriptions. Upon meeting with Medea, Creon addresses Medea saying: “You are a clever woman, skilled in many evil wiles.” (8). Medea holds far more depth and ability as a character; Creon attributes her with intellectually traits and power. Euripides builds upon what his ancient audience already knows: Medea is a force to be reckoned with. She is resourceful and capable of killing just like a man In contrast, Euripides grants Glauce superficial traits such as being unable to “resist the adornments” and having “pale white feet” (31-32). These are some of few images of Glauce the audience receives and they reflect the role she is given. Fate simply acts on her physical being to enact justice. In contrast, fate acts through Medea and her need for vengeance to ensure. Their distinctions also prevent Medea and Glauce from being seen as equals. Euripides enforces Medea’s strength through her own ironic dialogue. Medea calls upon Jason and placates him, catering to his ego by feigning a weak and submissive wife: “I won’t call us evil- we women. And so you should not be like us in our weaknesses nor match folly with folly.” (24). The ancient Greeks generally perceive women as being weak and faint of heart. At this point, the audience
Medea killing her children is. Medea has no struggle with killing Glauce however, she agonizes over killing her own children. “I could never do the deed. Goodbye to my former plans. I shall take my children from the land. Why should I, as I seek to pain their father through their sufferings, win twice as much agony for myself?” (29). Here Medea senses the pain she will inflict upon herself when she kills her children. There was no internal struggle when it came to Glauce. Medea notes herself that she “seeks to pain their father” by killing her children. Medea’s actions focus on dismantling Jason’s fortunes and eradicating his line. Glauce is not the source of such violence. While Glauce does experience immense physical pain upon her death it is a product of the method of killing, not Medea necessarily ensuring a painful death. The method of her death more reflects godly approval in Medea’s killing. Jason is the primary target, Glauce is collateral damage. “And you, wretched man, both bridegroom and curse for your new royal family, without knowing it you are… bringing hateful death on your wife.” (27). Here the Chorus reaffirms the central cause of Medea is Jason. Glauce namelessness simply reflects the fact she is not fate’s endgame. The Chorus refers to Jason as a “bridegroom and curse for your new royal family”. He is the plague upon Creon’s house, not necessarily Medea. Jason is responsible for