Medea: Greek Mythology Analysis
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Tahlia MillsMedea: Greek Mythology Analysis
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Tahlia MillsMedea: A Dramaturgical Study
Medea first appeared in Greek mythology. She was a witch, said to have power over the sun, moon
and stars. She was the granddaughter of Helios, the Sun God, and the daughter of the King of
Colchis. Her mother is also the daughter of the River God, Oceanus, and the Titan Goddess of Fresh
Water, Tethys. Jason was also a figure in Greek Mythology, a descendent of Hermes, he was sent on
a quest by King Pelias to find the golden fleece, promising that if Jason brought it back to him, he
could take his rightful place as king. Whilst in Colchis, he met Medea, who promised to help him
steal the fleece from her father, if he took her home with him, as she had fallen in love with Jason.
In Ancient Greece, Athens, where Euripides spent most of his life, was growing in power, taking
charge of many city states. Because of this, philosophers, poets, scientists, artists, rhetoricians and
literary theorist from all over Greece came to live in Athens. Due to the influx of people coming to
the city, only males born in the city could be granted citizenship, despite them making up less than a
quarter of the city’s population. The Ancient Greeks believed in several Gods and Goddesses, now
known as The Greek Gods. Each of these Gods had power over a different part of nature.
Ancient Greece had three main social classes. The top class was called the aristoi meaning “best
people,” and they had a lot of money. They also had the best land, it was the most fertile and closest
to the protection of the city walls. The middle class were well involved in trade and commerce. They
were the nouveau riche, and they were the least stable class. They could move up if they
accumulated enough money and assets, but could also fall into the lover class, possible losing their
citizenship. The lowest class were the poor. They lived near each other for protection, in small
villages.
During his time Euripides was often criticised. Aristophanes, who was a comic dramatist at the time
mocked him and his work. Even Aristotle criticised his plays because the protagonists were not often
heroes.
Ancient Greece was divided into city-states each with their own monarchy or government. If you did
not live inside the walls of the city state, you were not considered to be a part of it. King Archelaus
was ruling at the time Euripides wrote his plays.
The time in which Euripides wrote was known as ‘The Golden Age of Athens.’ Despite being criticised
in his time, his work left a lasting impact on theatre as we know it today. His simplistic yet realistic
dialogue paved the way for dramatic realism. He ended up winning the Dionysus Festival playwright
competition four times and Medea won third prize in the year it was performed. The Dionysus
festival was an Ancient Greek Festival in which playwrights performed plays in hopes of winning a
loral reef. It occurred in the spring, as it was in honour of Dionysus, the God of Fertility and Wine.
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