Two Tragic Hereo's Are Better Than One (Medea/Jason)
Two Tragic Heroes Are Better Than One In many Greek tragedies, there will be one tragic hero and one tragic hero only. However, in Euripides’ drama Medea there are two tragic heroes within one story. One of these heroes is who the play is titled after, Medea. The other tragic hero is Medea’s ex-husband and father of her children, Jason. To be classified as a tragic hero, a character must present certain qualities such as, a royal status (king, queen, princess, prince etc.), an extraordinary power (wisdom, compassion, strength etc.), a fall from grace based on the hero’s own actions, and finally acceptance of their mistake or mistakes. Medea and Jason’s family history, impressionable characteristics, downward spiral caused by their own blunders, and their willingness to expect their wrongdoings in the end, portrays them both as tragic heroes.
Medea is a powerful but vicious woman whose own actions cause her to fall from the pedestal that she has been living upon her whole life. She comes from a prestigious background as she is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis. Not only is she a princess, Medea is also a sorceress. This allows her to use magical powers on herself and on others around her. Medea’s downward spiral begins because of her attachment to Jason and her insistent need of extracting revenge against her former love. Her desire for Jason becomes so intense at one point that Medea ends up slaughtering and dismembering her own brother in order to allow Jason to escape from the king. Medea catering to Jason’s needs before her own was just the beginning of her downfall. Jason repaid Medea for her bravery by leaving her and their kids for another woman. This causes Medea to feel unwanted, embarrassed, and tremendously hurt so she concocts a scheme to obtain retribution on Jason. Her endeavor only intensifies her unenviable fate as Medea ends up executing Jason’s new bride, the bride’s father, and her own two children.
While Jason played a role in
Medea is a powerful but vicious woman whose own actions cause her to fall from the pedestal that she has been living upon her whole life. She comes from a prestigious background as she is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis. Not only is she a princess, Medea is also a sorceress. This allows her to use magical powers on herself and on others around her. Medea’s downward spiral begins because of her attachment to Jason and her insistent need of extracting revenge against her former love. Her desire for Jason becomes so intense at one point that Medea ends up slaughtering and dismembering her own brother in order to allow Jason to escape from the king. Medea catering to Jason’s needs before her own was just the beginning of her downfall. Jason repaid Medea for her bravery by leaving her and their kids for another woman. This causes Medea to feel unwanted, embarrassed, and tremendously hurt so she concocts a scheme to obtain retribution on Jason. Her endeavor only intensifies her unenviable fate as Medea ends up executing Jason’s new bride, the bride’s father, and her own two children.
While Jason played a role in