Medea Tragic Hero Essay

Medea: Hero with Estrogen A Greek hero is someone descended from divinity with an incredible talent who is favored by the gods. Such heroes that are brought to mind are Heracles with his brute strength, Odysseus with his craftiness, and Jason with his leadership. Often not viewed, however, as a hero is Jason’s scorned wife, Medea. Medea’s backstory involves fratricide and witchcraft for Jason’s love. However, in their return to Corinth, Jason leaves her. This fractured promise allows Euripides to cast Medea as a Greek hero, even if she is a woman. Medea is a classical hero in Euripides’ play, favored by the gods and manipulative in bringing about her desires. Medea, despite her murderous reputation, is favored by the gods. She is descended from Helios, his granddaughter in fact. This divine lineage not only gives her one of the traits of a Greek hero, but also the protection from retribution. She utilizes this ancestry when she escapes, using Helios’ chariot to run from her crimes. She also calls upon Jason’s broken oath, a subject in which the gods have very little sympathy. Medea scolds Jason, “What puzzles me / is whether you believe those gods (the ones / who heard you swear) no longer are in power, / or that the old commandments have been changed?” (p 80 lns
Helios’ granddaughter garners the favor of the gods through Jason’s broken oath and escapes without punishment due to that favor. She also utilizes her talent to bring about Jason’s demise and gain revenge for her broken heart. Euripides’ play casts Medea in a traditionally male role, scaring the male Greek audience and causing them to reanalyze what it means to be a hero. Since Medea is female, one does not immediately think her to be a hero. However, in analysis of her character and actions, she does not differ in characteristics of Heracles or Odysseus except in that she has more