Inconsistent Sympathy - Medea

A detailed Summary of Inconsistent Sympathy - Medea

When observing relationships, the onlooker's sympathies can change from one person to another in a matter of seconds. Situations change, motives which can be hidden are revealed, and time affects outcomes. Other people can influence certain opinions, therefore making it difficult to consistently feel for only one side of the argument. Throughout Medea, the audience's sympathies are shifted between Medea and Jason, with Jason ultimately emerging as the character with which most of the audience would side.

In the beginning of the play, the audience's sympathies are extended towards Medea. Before Medea is introduced, the Nurse explains why Medea is in great agony. She tells how Medea and Jason once had a wonderful relationship and everything started out well. Speaking of her mistress, she says, "...she will neither eat nor drink, except her own tears, She turns her face towards the earth, remembering her father's house and her native land, which sh

e abandoned for the love of this man: who now despises her." (86) This shows how deeply depressed Medea is and the strong wording conveys Jason's hatred for her. The audience is also more likely to sympathize with Medea in the beginning of the play because they have yet to meet her character and see her determination for vengeance.

The audience's sympathies are shifted from Medea to Jason when Medea kills Creon's daughter and Creon ultimately dies with her. His daughter was an innocent victim who unfortunately fell in between the animosity and tension of Medea and Jason. As the Nurse is describing the deaths to Medea, she says, "Still whistled in the black mouths. No one could touch them. Jason stood in their smoke, and his hands tore His unhelmeted hair." (118) This extends sympathy to Jason because he had no control over the death of his wife. He also lost his father-in-law, Creon, as Creon unsuccessfully tried to save his daughter from

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Approximate Word count = 644
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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