Medea Chorus Analysis

Similar to the Chorus, the Nurse is also very compassionate with Medea and depicts the effect of Jason’s actions on her and her children. The wickedness and evilness of Jason is highlighted as his betrayal of Medea resulted in his misery. In the same time, they let the audience know of her internal conflict, as “this passion of hers is an irresistible flood.” (p. 23). As mentioned by the Chorus, Medea’s hate is not only for the broken oath but it is also for her loneliness, as they say to her: “a wanderer, where can you turn? /To what welcoming house? /to what protecting land?” (p. 28). After Jason betrays her she will be exiled with no one to turn to as she already betrayed her family for Jason. A mother and her children are much more pitiable
The Chorus plainly supports this idea of the empowerment of females as they say: “legend will now reverse our reputation;/ Men figure no less famous/ or infamous than women” (p. 30). Furthermore, they indicate that whilst Medea is sorrowful, she also is full of rage and hatred towards Jason. The Chorus questions the extent of her hate as they tell her that “If your husband is won to a new love-/The thing is common; why let it anger you?” (p. 22). Although the Chorus is very compassionate and supportive, they question her actions while simultaneously voicing the audience’s theoretical concerns. Unlike most women in the period, Medea is in no means weak and helpless, when she is put into a situation in which she has no control over, she is able to create a way in which she is superior. As the Nurse points out “The mind of a queen/ is a thing to fear. A queen is used/ to giving commands, not obeying them” (p. 21). Medea was once was a goddess and a queen, but now she is reduced to a betrayed wife, which brings great shame to her. Even when she kills her children, Medea’s sense of pride and dignity prevails as she says “I’ll not leave sons of mine to be the victims of my enemies” (p. 50). Her purpose of the murder now changes from her need to free herself from her chains to Jason, to a manifestation of her love for them as she does not want them to
The thing that makes Medea very special is that even though she kills her children the audience still is able to relate to her. Although they agree that Jason is the oppressor and Medea is the victim, and highlight Medea’s anguish, they disagree greatly during the murder of the children. While the Chorus expresses concerns towards Medea’s actions, in the end though they feel compassionate with her as they say that they “too feel fresh tears fill [their] eyes” (p.44). The Nurse, although her major role ends early on, she still comes back to take the children away from Medea and presents to the audience the other side of the view. This view is majorly highlighted when the children scream “Help, help, for gods’ sake! She is killing us!” (p.56). This contrast between the two views enhances the audience’s understanding of the