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The Alienation of Medea
known not for their ideas or for being outspoken, therefore since Medea possessed both of these qualities, she was intimidating to others. Kreon expresses how he is “afraid” (Medea ln. 280, p. 701) of Medea because he hears that she is “threatening” (Medea ln. 285, p. 701). In her defense, Medea conveys, “a person of sense ought never to have his children brought up to be more clever than the average” (Medea ln. 250-256, p. 701), as if being intellectual is wrong if you are a woman. In addition, Medea adds, “for being clever, I find that some will envy me, others object to me” (Medea ln. 301-302, p. 701). Kreon brings logic to the hysteria over an intelligent woman with one of his finals statements, “A sharp tempered women, or for that matter a man, is easier to deal with than the clever type who hold her tongue” (Medea ln. 316-318, p. 702).
Nonetheless, Medea is still driven from Corinth despite of her best efforts. The chorus illustrates her emotion, “and now in a foreign country you have lost your rest in a widowed bed, and are driven forth, a refugee in dishonor from the land” (Medea ln. 424-427, p. 704). Still, Jason comes to help reiterate why exactly Medea is being exiled. “You are going to be exiled for your loose speaking” (Medea ln. 439, p. 704), and once again Medea is ill-spoken of because she speaks. On her guard, Medea retaliates, “for this is my position, -- hated by my friends at home, I have, in kindness to you, made enemies of others whom there was no need to have injured” (Medea ln. 494-496, p. 705). Furthermore, Jason continues to throw insults by calling Medea a “mouthing tempest […] of your bitter tongue” (Medea ln. 513, p. 706), as well as including the fact that “all the Greeks considered her a clever woman” (Medea ln. 527, p. 706). With Jason’s verbal abuse over her free speech, Medea begins to understand why exile seams like the best answer, for she will be “quiet without friends” (Medea ln. 501. p. 706) when banished. She also recognizes how much better it will be for Jason when she is gone since “[he] thought it was not respectable as [he] got on in years to have a foreign wife” (Medea ln. 579-580, p. 707). Also Jason can throw out insults because he has family and friends to go to. Medea knows this and expresses her feelings with: “You can insult me. You have somewhere to turn to. But I shall go from this land into exile, friendless” (Medea ln. 591-592, p. 707).
Medea proves how ancient times strived for a conventional lifestyle where women and children should be seen and not heard, rather than allowing them rights to be outsiders with minds and opinions. With each character that felt threatened by Medea, came the same reasons for her intimidating behaviors: intelligence, out-spoken, will power, sense of witchcraft, love and cleverness. In the end, past her [next page]