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Medea Study Guide (with answers)
Vocabulary:
Assuage (184)--to lessen or ease
Clairvoyant (263)--able to see things that others cannot see
Irreparable (307)--impossible to repair
Disbarred (433)--expelled from a group
Placate (486)--to appease or calm
Banishment (492)--the state of being exiled or sent away
Writhe (503)--to twist, usually in pain or discomfort
Smitten (593)--affected strongly, as if struck
Plausibly (621)--in a believable way
Blights (644)--destroys or causes to wither
Obstinate (902)--unyielding, determined to have one's way
Futile (913)--useless
Engender (1126)--bring into existence
Cower (1316)--to shrink in fear
Abominable (1344)--disgusting, horrible
Loathed (1345)--hated
Brazen (1367)--shameless
Retaliation (1381)--getting back at another for a perceived wrong
Literary Terms:
Chorus–a group of actors who commented in unison on themes of play or gave summary of what has
happened to audience. In this play, the chorus is a group of women from Corinth.
Monologue–a long, uninterrupted speech
Rhetorical Question–questions for which no answer is expected
Verbal Irony–saying the opposite of what is expected. One typical form of verbal irony is sarcasm.
Complication–a confrontation between opposing forces that pushes the conflict toward its climax
Deus ex Machina–an apparently insoluble crisis solved by the intervention of a god, often brought on
stage by an elaborate piece of equipment
Catharsis–feelings of fear, pity, and other strong emotions felt by the audience
Comprehension questions:
1) At the beginning of Jason and Medea's marriage, there was peace and harmony. What did
Medea do to cause this peace?
She never argued or talked back to Jason (line 19)...played the role of a quiet, submissive woman
2) Things have drastically changed, though. Why have things changed, and what is the present
situation in Jason and Medea's household?
Jason is having an affair with King Creon's daughter. (24)
Medea will have no rights after he leaves her (25)
She is miserable, not eating, full of grief, crying all the time, does not move (30-32)
Hates her children (42)
3) What news does Tutor bring to Nurse?
Medea and the children will be banished from Corinth at the order of the Kind (71-73)
4) What does the Nurse seem scared of Medea doing?
Hurting her children or someone that is on her “side” (94-97)
5) Explain what the Nurse means in line 130. Why does she say this?
Man should live moderately. If man has to much wealth, excess, etc., they will end up paying for it.
She wants to live a moderate life so that she does not have to be punished by the gods for having too
much.
6) What message does the Chorus have for Medea?
Don't be upset; the gods will bring your revenge for you. (165-66)
7) How does Medea describe her own feelings to the Chorus?
Lost, joy of life is gone, I even want to die (249-250)
8) Medea describes the difficult life of a woman. Summarize her speech here.
Women must first buy their husbands, let their husbands rule them and their bodies, and then keep them
interested or the husband will go find someone else to fulfill his desire.
9) According to Medea, what makes her situation even worse than a woman of Corinth who has
been cheated on?
Medea has no family to turn to (281). She forsook her family in order to marry Jason, and now she has
nothing.
10) What does Creon announce when he comes to see Medea?
Medea and her children are banished immediately (296-297).
11) What are the reasons behind Creon's decree?
He is afraid Medea will hurt his daughter, who is marrying Jason (306-307).
He has heard she has made threats against him (311-312).
12) What arguments does Medea make to Creon to let her stay in Corinth?
She is too weak and upset to plan anything against Creon and his daughter (330-331)
She doesn't hate him, only Jason (332-333)
Let her stay for 1 day to figure out what she and her children are going to do (361-363).
She isn't afraid of exile; she only feels bad for her children (367-368)
13) What does Creon swear to Medea?
If she is not gone by tomorrow, she and her children will die (374-376)
14) What does Medea reveal in her speech to the Chorus after Creon leaves?
She has deceived him. She does plan on seeking revenge. She just doesn't know how to do it yet.
15) What does Jason blame Medea for?
He tells her she is the cause of her own banishment by speaking against the King (480).
16) Medea recounts her life with Jason. Why does she do this? What is the point she is making
here?
She has done bad things in her life for his sake, and this is how he has repaid her. Now she has so
many enemies, because of him, and no where to go.
17) How does Jason defend himself to Medea?
He did it for the children: to ensure they will have wealth and join the family lines with royalty (557558, 600).
18) Does Medea believe him? Why or why not?
No, she thinks that if that was true, he would have told her his plan first so that she could have gone
along with him.
19) What does Medea offer Aegeus in return for shelter?
A cure for his barrenness (758).
20) What does Aegeus agree to?
He agrees to give her shelter but he cannot help her to escape or else he would insult the King, his
host. (755-757)
He swears to the Earth, the Sun, and all of the gods that he will never banish her himself and he will
never release her willingly to her enemies. (791-793)
21) Summarize Medea's plan in your own words.
She is going to convince Jason that she agrees with him and send her sons with wedding gifts to his
bride that are covered in poison. Then, she will kill her children so that no one can take them away
from her, and she will flee to Aegeus. She will be known as a powerful woman, not one who is meek
and quiet.
22) After the Chorus hears Medea's plan, what is their judgment of her?
Less sympathetic. They cannot understand how she could kill her children, and they think that she will
not be able to go through with it. They also think that Athens (Aegeus) will not accept her after this.
23) Explain Medea's internal conflict on pages 99-101.
Should she kill her children, even though she loves them and it causes her great pain, to get back at her
husband, or should she bring her children into exile but let Jason go unpunished for his actions?
24) According to Medea, why does man (and woman) act evilly?
The rage of man's heart is stronger than his reason (1111).
25) What does Medea say to the messenger that is a sign of how truly evil she is?
She says that she will be happier if she knows that Creon and his daughter died horribly or painfully.
(1154)
26) Why does Medea decide that she must kill her children?
Since she made them instruments of Creon and his daughter's death, they will be killed my someone
else if she does not do it. She thinks if she kills them, death will be more gentle. (1253-1254)
27) What does the Chorus predict for Medea?
The gods will take revenge on her for what she has done to her children. (1289)
28) When Jason enters, how does he find Medea?
Flying above her children in a chariot from the gods to protect her. (1342) DEUS EX MACHINA
29) According to Jason, what is true about Medea that could have allowed her to kill her own
children?
She is not from Greece. A woman from Greece could never have done this. She is a savage from a
savage land. (1361, 1365)
30) What is the last thing Jason wants from Medea? Does she grant him this? Why or why not?
He wants to bury his children (1401)
She does not let him do this because she doesn't want the people of Greece to disrespect their bones
because they played a part in the King's death, so she is going to take her children with her. ( 14021405)
He also asks to hold his children one last time (1430)
She says no because she knows this would give him pleasure, and she hates him to no end.