Medea: Victim, Hero, or Both?
Medea: Victim, Hero, or Both? In the story of Medea by Euripides, it told the tragic fate of Medea, former princess of Colchis and wife of Jason. Medea was taken out of her homeland by Jason and his ship, Argo, into the land of Greece. Medea loved Jason because she was shot with a love arrow by Eros, who was commanded by Aphrodite, goddess of love, to do so. What she did not know was that in following Jason, she would come face to face with betrayal, agony, and death. Medea’s encounter and journey with Jason has made her a victim and a hero. When Jason arrived in Iolcus to claim his throne from his evil uncle Pelias, he was tricked by being told he must sail to Colchis, steal the Golden Fleece, and bring it back to Iolcus, an impossible task. Before sailing through the Symplegades, Jason saved Medea’s brother, prince of Colchis. The prince took Jason to his father’s house where Jason encountered Medea. Once the king, Aeetes, learned of Jason’s intentions to steal the Golden Fleece, he imprisoned Jason and his men. Soon, Jason punishment was to tame the fire-breathing oxen, make it plow a field, and sow the teeth of a dragon into the field, another unachievable task. Medea, shot by Eros’ love arrow which made her fall in love with Jason, aided him in succeeding these tasks. She put an ointment on him which would protect him from the fire of the oxen. She told Jason how to defeat the skeletons that were produced by the teeth of a dragon. She also put the Hydra to sleep so Jason could seize the Golden Fleece. While sailing back to Iolcus, Medea and Jason were being pursued by Aeetes and his men. Medea killed her brother and threw pieces of his body into the sea so Aeetes would stop and retrieve them. This allowed Medea and Jason to escape safely back to Iolcus. Medea even bore children to Jason when she did not desire to. She stated “I would rather / stand shield to shield three times than give birth just once” (260-261). By giving up all she loved to Jason and