Question

Question about Tragedy Medea

1. How does Medea escape?

2. Why is Aegeus in town?

Answer 1

1 . Medea escape is an interesting scene to think upon . In the end after killing her children , Medea appears on the roof in a chariot drawn by dragons . It is clearly difficult to imagine and understand this scene . The play has been given surprise and sudden ending .

By the term " chariot drawn by dragons " and " Deus ex machina - god from the machine" Euripides (tragedian) besides creating a dramatic scene wanted readers to know that importantly Medea escapes from facing her karma instead of facing the repercussions of her crime.

It is also important to think that why Euripides wants Medea to escape and what exactly are we suppose to take from all this. It can be said that medea's violence was the result of oppression by her husband and male dominated society to which she reacted in bloody revenge.

2 .Tragedy Medea is about how medea's hatred towards her husband Jason because of his other marriage turned into a bloody revenge as she finds a way to kill them all including her children ( to completely take away Jason's happiness)

Medea after planning everything needed a safe haven , once she's committed the murder. Coincidentally , king of Athens & an old friend of Medea "Aegeus" came to Corinth .

Aegeus came to corinth after visiting Oracle (a person considered to be source of wisdom & fortune) of appollo. Aegeus was still not having a child so he went to the Oracle but oracle's reply about his problem was confusing " not to unstop the wineskin's neck " . The Oracle told Aegeus not to have sexual intercourse before he reached his homeland.

He came to the town to meet an old friend "king of troezen" to discuss about oracle's advice. Troezen was located on southeast coast of Greece about 30 miles east of Argos. Probably Corinth was in his route to troezen.