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Essay

2007, Form B. Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray a protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty of treachery or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

                Betrayal leaves many marks on a human being, physical, mental, and spiritual. In Medea’s case, it is mostly mental. Medea was a Barbarian woman who ran off with a Greek adventurer named Jason, who she bore two children with. She was part of a happy family. That is until Jason went and left his mark on Medea.

                Jason found a love interest in a princess named Glauce. She is the daughter of Creon, the King of Corinth. Jason hopes that his relationship will lead to him moving up in the social ladder, and maybe even becoming king at some point. What Jason neglects to notice is that all this selfish behavior is only going to come back to haunt him, like all Greek tragedies do. He has betrayed Medea’s love and trust. By doing so, Medea loses her mind, and goes on full revenge mode.

                When Jason betrayed Medea, he is so cold and so selfish about it, he could crush anyone’s heart with just his tone. He tells her that his needs are bigger than hers, and basically throws away their whole relationship in an instance. Medea gave up everything for him. She left her native home, her people, and in the process killed her own brother in order to lose them when her and Jason attempted to escape the island. She has nowhere to go, no one to be with. This leads her to be angry, sad, and twisted. From the beginning we know that she has a twisted mentality. She has her sinister and devilish side. With all that Jason’s betrayal does, plus all the other events that build up due to his decision, she snaps. She wants full revenge against Jason. She kills his wife to be, the wife’s father, and her own children! The anger she bears him is beyond any sort of anger expressed by any sane person. She has pure hate, and only wants to see him suffer.

                Betrayal has this effect on people; they do things thinking it will not affect them in the long run and that the person they hurt will get over it. But in instances like this Betrayal affect the wrong person, and that led to many deaths, and tragic losses. Medea was driving by her anger towards Jason for the betrayal. 

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1983 Zoe Caldwell as Medea, great film!

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Dionysus- You see, they should have known better my mother's sisters, who said that I, Dionysus, was no son of Zeus

The whole conflict of this play is that Dionysus is angry and disturbed that none of his relatives believe he is the son of Zeus. This leads him to do everything he does, to get people to believe him. 

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The Bacchae Characters

Dionysus- God of Wine, is many different characters all in one frame, each version of himself is different but all are the same person. He has human qualities as well as that of a God, son of Zeus and a human Semele. 

Pentheus- King of Thebes, he is Dionysus cousin and foil. 

Agaue- Pentheus mother, and follower of Dionysus

Cadmus- Grandfather of Pentheus and Dionysus

Servant- Captures the Stranger(Dionysus) and brings him to Pentheus.

First Messenger- Cowherd who spies on Dionysus followers

Second Messenger- witnesses the death of the king and returns to tell the tale.

Chrous- Female Bacchae who are led by The Stranger

Tiresias- pursuades Cadmus to worship Dionysus

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Jotham Annan as Dionysus in The Bacchae

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Chorus: The shame of her cruel fate has conquered. She has chosen good name rather than life: she is easing her heart of its bitter load of love

Phaedra has chosen honor over life, she chose to commit suicide instead of having to live with loving her stepson and ruining her pride. This quote ties both the Greek tragedy and the cultures view on how your name is everything. 

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Hippolytus Characters

Theseus- King of Athens, father of Hippolytus, and husband of Phaedra. He goes into voluntary exile for murdering. When he returns he finds out about Phaedra and his stepson, Hippolytus. He doesn't believe HIppolytus and exiles him, which leads to Hippolytus' death

Hippolytus- Son of Theseus, stepson of Phaedra. worships Artemis, which leads to Aphrodite jealousy. He rejects the advances made by his stepmother, but still gets blamed for raping her. He is exiled and dies of the curse put on him by Theseus. 

Phaedra- wife of Theseus, she is enchanted by Aphrodite to fall in love with her stepson, Hippolytus. After fighting the urge and giving in, she later commits suicide and leaves a note blaming Hippolytus and claiming to be raped by him.

The Chorus- provides detail on the events going on throughout the play

The Nurse- Phaedra's confidante who reveals Phaedra's desires to Hippolytus, leading to Phaedra's suicide. 

Aphrodite- Jealous that Hippolytus worships Artemis and not her. Enchants Phaedra to  fall in love with Hippolytus, leading to his downfall. 

Artemis- Worshiped by Hippolytus, comes to Theseus to tell him that Hippolytus was telling the truth. 

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Phaedra all over Hippolytus after Aphrodite makes her fall in love with her stepson

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Medea: It is the supreme way to hurt my husband.

She is so bent on trying to get revenge on her husband that she is willing to kill her own children. I find this line very interesting because it shows her sanity completely lost, now she is on a vengeful tirade, and nothing will stop her

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Medea Characters

Medea- barbarian sorceress and princess, she falls in love with Jason and flees her homeland to be with him. She has two children, and is very devilish and devious. 

Jason- Greek adventurer who finds Medea and with her help finds the Golden Fleece. He leaves his wife in order to marry the daughter of a king, in hopes to later become king. He is selfish and the villain of the play, only fueling Medea towards her revengeful acts. 

Chorus- Group of women who tell the actions of what happens in the play, and support all of Medea's actions, even murdering her own children. They are like human muses. 

Creon- King of Corinth, banishes Medea. Later murdered by Medea

Glauce- Daughter of Creon, and new wife of Jason. Medea's first victim in the play.

Aegeus- King of Athens who gives Medea refuge when banished. in exchange Medea cures his sterility, his presence changes Medea from passive to aggressive. 

Messenger- Gives detail to Creon and Glauce's deaths. 

Nurse- takes care of the children, Medea's only confident.

Tutor- acts as messenger and is who moves the children around locations. 

Children- Medea and Jason's two children, they are pretty naive of the whole situation. They are murdered by Medea as a final act to get revenge on Jason

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Zoe Caldwell as Medea

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Publisher and Translator

The Heritage Press was founded in 1929 by George Macy, they illustrate and republish old classics with new translations. Medea, Hippolytus, The Bacchae was translated by Philip Vellacott. Philip was an English scholar known for his translations of Greek tragedies.

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Son of Mnesarchus, was born Salamis island, Greece around 484 B.C. When born a prediction about him receiving "crowns of victory" caused his father to put him into athletic training. Instead he became a playwright and wrote 92  plays. At the time he was not very liked by the people of Athens, they were not big fans of his works.