Plot+Summary

The play opens on Medea’s nurse. She is wishing that Jason and Medea had never met. Much background information is presented here. The Nurse explains that Medea fell in love with Jason and then helped him to win the Golden Fleece at the expense of being exiled from her home country. Now Jason has left her for the daughter of Creon, the king of Corinth. Since then, Medea has been crying. The Nurse fears that Medea will become violent. The Tutor enters and shares with the Nurse that he has heard that Creon plans to exile her from Corinth. The Nurse sends the Tutor and the children inside and warns the children not to “go anywhere near [Medea], but be careful of the wildness and bitter nature of [her] proud mind” (4). Medea is heard from inside the house, cursing her children and husband. The Nurse again expresses her concern that something bad will happen.
 * Detailed Plot Summary **

The Chorus of Corinthian women enters and says that it has heard Medea’s crying and has come to find the cause of such grief. Medea’s cries are again heard from within the house. She wishes for her own death and then calls on the Gods to help her find revenge. The Chorus replies, “You must not waste away grieving too much for him who shared your bed,” (6) and asks the Nurse to bring Medea out to them. The Nurse complies with their request, but doubts that in her grief she will leave the house. But Medea decides to talk with the Chorus because she wants to prevent rumors from spreading and giving her a “bad reputation” (8). She speaks to them of the difficult life a woman has to lead. They must prove themselves to a man (often through money), but have no say in the marriage. Women must remain faithful while men are not, and men receive all of the honor and glory of battle. Meanwhile, the women are carrying the workload at home and bear all of the children. The Chorus gives Medea its support, telling her that she is right in feeling anger. Creon, the king of Corinth enters and tells Medea that she is exiled from the country. When Medea asks for a reason, Creon responds that he is scared for his life and the life of his daughter, because Medea has allegedly made threats and she is a clever woman. Medea then laments being clever, because it has caused her much suffering. She pledges her allegiance to Creon and her country and proceeds to beg that he would not exile her. He does not change his decision however, and has to threaten moving her by force before she agrees to leave. She then requests one more day in order to make provisions for her children. Against his better judgment, Creon agrees, but before exiting, he tells here that if she is there the next morning, she will die. Medea begins to plot, saying that women are geniuses of evil plots, while the Chorus expresses its sympathy that she now has no home on top of everything else. Medea promises that she will kill Creon, his daughter, and Jason. She decides that poison will give her the best chance of escape, but first she must find some refuge to where she can flee.

Jason comes to talk with Medea. He speaks of himself very highly, because he has tried to stop the exile. He believes it is Medea’s fault for insisting on continuing to threaten the royal family. Medea reminds him of all she has done for him and that she has no place to go in exile, for she has betrayed and killed others for him. She calls him a coward and a fake man. Jason replies that she exaggerates what she has done, and he has given her more than she has given him. Also, he explains that he went to be with Creon’s daughter so he could get fame and fortune for the whole family, and he did not plan to leave Medea with nothing. He says that life would be better for men if women had never existed. The Chorus condemns Jason. “You have betrayed your wife and are acting badly.” (19). Jason offers to give Medea and the children money, and to contact his friends to give her refuge, but she refuses. “There is no benefit in the gifts of a bad man.” (20).

The Chorus laments Medea’s situation and prays that it will never see similar circumstances. Aegeus, the king of Athens and an old friend of Medea who has been searching for a way to have a child, enters and speaks with Medea. She explains her situation to him, and then asks that he would accept her into her country. In exchange, she promises to help him beget children using drugs that she knows. Aegeus agrees to accept her as long as she makes the escape from Corinth by herself. Medea asks him to make an oath before the gods to ensure that he will not cast her from his land ever. He does so and then exits.

Now having a refuge in place, Medea divulges her plan to the Chorus. She plans to ask Jason back to the house and tell him that she agrees with what he has done. She will beg that their children are allowed to remain in Corinth and will send them to the palace with gifts for Jason’s bride. However, the dress and diadem that she sends will be covered in poison, so as to kill whoever touches them. She then plans to kill her children to cause Jason even more pain. At this point the Chorus withdraws its support, begging her not to kill her children. But Medea does not listen, and sends the Nurse to bring Jason to her. The Nurse retrieves Jason and he comes to talk with Medea. Medea apologizes for her harsh words and calls herself a fool for not thinking more rationally. She calls the children out to make peace with their father. Jason, believing she is sincere, says that he cannot blame her for being upset and he agrees to attempt to convince Creon to allow the children to stay in Corinth. Medea sends her servants to bring out the gifts, and tells her children to bring them to the king’s daughter. Jason says that this is not necessary because the palace already has many dresses and much gold. Medea replies that even the gods are persuaded by gifts and sends the children off. The Chorus weeps for the children who are walking closer to their death.

The Tutor returns with the children, and notifies Medea that her gifts have been accepted. He is confused by her grieving response to this good news. Medea then speaks to her children and wishes them “happiness, but not here in this world” (35). The Chorus says that although children bring joy, they envy the childless because they are spared much grief. A messenger comes from the palace and informs Medea that Creon and his daughter have both died. She is delighted by the news and asks for details of their deaths. The messenger shares that everyone in the palace, with the exception of Jason’s bride, was delighted that the children had come. When the princess saw the dress, even she was happy to help them. She quickly put the dress on and while admiring herself, fell into a seizure. A servant went to tell the king, who immediately ran to his daughter and threw himself on her body, therefore killing himself as well.

The Chorus says that Jason deserves the evils he has received, but it pities Creon’s daughter who has done nothing but marry Jason. Medea declares that she must now kill her children. The Chorus prays that the gods will stop her from performing this evil deed, but soon the children’s cries are heard from inside. The Chorus speaks of the evils Medea has performed, and says that her “heart must have been made of rock or steel,” (41). Jason enters and is searching for Medea. The Chorus informs him that she has killed their children and he vows “her I will repay,” (43). As Jason tries to find his dead children, Medea appears in a dragon-drawn chariot, her children’s bodies with her. Medea and Jason curse each other for the evils they have performed and argue as to who is the “author of this sorrow.” (45). Medea denies Jason’s request to have the bodies in order to bury them, and then leaves for Aegeus’ house. The Chorus closes the play by saying that they do not understand how the gods operate because they work above human judgment, as is seen through this tragic story.