1. At the end of the play Medea kills her two children in order to hurt her husband Jason as much as possible. We can assume she wants to hurt him as much as she feels he's hurt her. Let's get past the literal killing and think of what this is trying to say about what is behind the act of revenge. Most people don't kill their children in order to hurt an ex, but we all have either sought or at least fantasized about taking revenge on someone we feel has hurt us. I noted the idea of "empowerment" in the Class Notes. Being hurt by someone makes us feel weak and vulnerable so maybe we seek revenge in order to regain a sense of power. Or is it that we simply can't stand the idea of the person who hurt us not suffering? What do you think? Either way, would say that everyone is at least capable of wanting to seek revenge in a destructive way? What prevents us from doing it? Explain. Give real life examples and relate it back to Medea specific situation.
2. Most men in the play appear afraid of Medea and seem to distrust her - before she's even done anything wrong. Many feel that Euripides, whether he meant to or not, is illustrating how many men regard intelligent, powerful women suspiciously - even fearfully. Do you feel this to be the case in our culture or have we moved past that?
3. In Euripides Medea (and noted in the Class Notes) we see the Gods recede from the business of morally governing human affairs. In The Odyssey they seemed involved, and in Oedipus much less so, but they still ensured fate. Yet, with Euripides play they seem completely indifferent. What do you think the message is for readers of this play on a secular level when it comes to moral instruction and human beings role in morality? Explain.