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Medea - Text Response


            Euripides tragic play 'Medea', presents the betrayal of Medea by her husband Jason and the events that follow which are a result of passion, reason, and selfishness. The key decisions made in Euripides' play is Jason's choice to leave Medea and his children to marry Glauce, and also Medea choosing to kill her children. Medea is a vengeful and manipulative woman who bases her decisions on passion, revenge, selfishness and reason. In contrast, Jason's decisions are based on selfishness and reason.
             Euripides illustrates Medea's decision to kill her children as a result of her revenge against Jason and suggests that her actions are emotive and passionate. Medea is so betrayed and emotional that Jason has left her after she has sacrificed so much for him and his desires that she uses Jason as the reason for killing their children. She asserts to her children that they have ''lost this world, thanks to [their] father'' as she contemplates her decision to kill them. Although Medea blames Jason she is ''well aware how terrible a crime'' she is about to commit, Euripides explains that ''passion is the master of [her] reason''.
             Medea not only blames Jason for her decision but she also attempts to justify her actions by using her enemies. Medea says she ''will not leave [her] children to the mockery of [her] enemies'' as she believes that leaving them to live they will be frowned upon and made fun of. Euripides presents Medea's excuse as genuinely thinking and caring for her children and what the consequences may be if she is not to kill them. She also thinks that if she is to not take any action, then she will ''become a laughing-stock by letting her enemies off scot-free''. Medea uses these excuses so that her choices are justified, and she does not feel as guilty. .
             Euripides depicts Jason's character as though he cares only for his benefit and not the relationship of his wife and children.


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