In this essay, I will explore the ways in which women are portrayed in the play The Medea written by Euripides.

Essay about how woman are portrayed from lines 1 to 356

In this essay, I will explore the ways in which women are portrayed in the play "The Medea" written by Euripides. The opening scene starts with a soliloquy with the Nurse by telling the audience of the things happening at present, we can see from the context of her soliloquy that she pities Medea and sympathizes with her and calling her "poor creature," but also fearing her because of what she is capable of. She condemns Jason for her betrayal to Medea by marrying another woman, the Nurse is querying why Medea fell in love with Jason and helped Jason in everyway. She is given a role slightly unusual for a woman. From the details and her use of language, we can see that she is educated and looks at the bigger picture and carefully analyses them, like men do. In this play, Euripides has given women a slightly more high status in society. The appearance of the Tutor and the children changed the atmosphere into a less tense environment. In the conversation between the Nurse and him, on lines 85- 88 he tells her that every man is selfish and will give himself the benefit only. He gives a more cynical side of things, where sympathy here is lacked where on line 61 says, "poor fool" instead of what the Nurse said "poor creature" saying she is foolish to having gone so far on her deeds and the more technical side of things are exposed.