Euripides' "Medea"

Paper Summary:

The writer examines the story of "Medea", which shows that civilized men ignore at their peril the world of instinct, emotion and irrational experience and that carefully worked out notions of right and wrong are dangerous, unless they are flexible and allow for constant adjustment. The paper shows the parallels between pride and passion; both of which make Medea's "evil hearted plots" materialize, and both of which lead to her corruption.

From the Paper:

"The hypocrisy of neglected ideals has often been condemned as a major sin; however, in the moral world as in the romantic, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved. "Medea" opens with an oppressed victim claiming sympathy of Chorus and the audience, yet as the action develops inevitably, and the punishment shows itself twice as wicked as the crime, sympathy changes sides, and the audience are left with only one comfort. Since the worst has been reached, there can be nothing worse to follow. Here, "many matters the gods bring to surprising ends. The things we thought would happen do not happen; the unexpected god makes possible?""

More papers on Euripides' "Medea":

• Analytical Essay # 6886 : "Euripides' "Medea"
• Analytical Essay # 16624 : "Euripides' "Medea" and Betrayal"
• Analytical Essay # 110556 : "A Psychoanalytical Look into "Medea"

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