Betrayal In Euripides 'Medea'

In Euripides' play Medea, the maddened main character, Medea, reveals how betrayal can significantly change a person. Medea's actions, appearance, statements, and what others have to say about her display these alterations. Medea displays a lot of different emotions throughout the play. She becomes full of hatred and hostility after being refused by her husband. Not only did this change her, but Medea took a turn for the worse after being banished.

To begin, Medea's actions are a good representation of how being betrayed contorts a persons true self. As the play begins Medea is heard wailing inside the castle, when she exits the castle she looks very deranged. She speaks very loudly and is so insane she physically shakes. When others talk

to Medea she seems in a daze, and continues talking to herself or talks over others. Medea talks like a demented animal when Jason is brought up or when she actually speaks to Jason. For example, when Jason comes to speak to her, she goes from manically cursing him to pleading with him. She takes the phrase "madly in love" to a whole new level. Medea is so unhinged she goes as far as cursing a golden crown and robe and giving it to Creusa, which ultimately burns her and King alive. Jason then runs over to Medea's home in a frenzy demanding to know where his children are. Medea exits the home in a zombie-like manner with a blood stained hand. She looks even more insane, almost psychotic, as she goes on another manic rant. When Medea opens the door the audience is shown that she did go mad enough to murder her own children, again displaying how double-crossing may drive a person to do unthinkable things.
During many of Medea's hysterical tirades she speaks of death and wanting to die. Medea says many wildly mad statements throughout the play. She speaks of her death not being a good enough punishment for what he has done to her. Medea speaks to the Chorus about killing the princess and the king, to get even with Jason. After that deed is done she decides it is not enough to avenge herself, she talks about murdering her own children. After she slaughters them, she simply tells Jason, "I loathed you more than I loved them." All of the manic rants and arguments with herself show how deeply the betrayal disturbed her.
In the beginning of the play, the Chorus talks about how fond they were of her and how worried they are about her. The concerns the chorus has for Medea verify that they once looked up to her, which also shows she my have once been a kind women. Jason when speaking to Medea he explained to her he felt she was dangerous and the felt the king was right to banish her. People both were sad she was leaving and happy.
To conclude, betrayal can change a decent person into a mad, crazed monster. Medea proved this through her actions, appearance, what she say and what others say and think about her.