Student Question
How would you describe Medea's characteristics and her aims?
Quick answer:
Medea is first and foremost a woman, but her gender does not win her any sympathy in this play. She is a mother and she loves her children, but murder is never justified no matter how much a parent may love their children.
It is very hard to read this play and remember that the audience is supposed to cheer on or at least feel catharsis with the end of the play. I think you can find the answers to your question by considering her major speeches in each act. At the opening of the play she speaks eloquently about her past relationship with Jason and how she feels about marriage and Jason's betrayal. This reveals her womanhood. When she reveals her plan to kill the children as the ultimate revenge we see the cold-hearted child killer side of her, but in her subsequent scenes she gives some compelling thoughts about how killing her children herself is more merciful than having her enemies kill them in retaliation for her killing of the princess, Jason's new bride. She also does waver in her determination to see the awful act through. In regards to her sorcery,...
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it makes her dangerous and seen as a threat, but it allows her to have the last say in her fate. She uses it to win Jason in the first place, to ensure an ally and safe haven with Creon in Athens, and her "connections" allow her to make her safe getaway in the end. She will not allow her reputation to be brought low. The salvation of her pride has always been her ultimate aim.