Commonly regarded as Euripides' greatest work, Medea is a powerful play of impassioned love turned into furious hate. Shown by Medea's brutal nature, it is clear that her revenge makes her a far more morally guilty character than Jason because of the extremely vicious nature of her crimes; however in saying this it does not mean that Jason is not partly guilty. This is evident through the key factors that Jason tried his hardest to work it out with Medea but could not succeed, Medea's thirst for brutal revenge on her husband and the ability that Medea has to accept her plan and be completely okay with it. Euripides tries to make Medea as close to an actual woman as possible, and to show her fiery lust for vengeance in uncovered action with nothing to dull its effect. The audience is witness to a hideous passion and cannot be certain whether Euripides approves of it or condemns it. Many themes shine through in the play Medea including pride, exile and the outsider and betrayal and manipulation and the use of different literary devices including imagery and foreshadowing make it clear that Medea is the most guilty character in Euripides play. .
The actions of Medea from 'Jason and the golden fleece' (before the play Medea) are clear evidence of Medea's brutality, lack of sympathy and evil ways and prove that not only is she guiltier than Jason, but she has been guilty much before the play 'Medea'. For example, when she is fleeing Colchis with Jason, she slaughters her own brother to slow her father down, and scattered his remains in her father's path knowing that he would stop to retrieve them. Her cause to stop her father was done in a brutal manner, when she could have done something much less severe to flee without him catching her. She appears as very unsympathetic of the destruction she leaves behind, and of her innocent brother who was a novelty in her game. In 'Medea', she has the nerve to say "with no mother to turn to, no brother or kinsman to rescue me from this sea of troubles and give me shelter," as if it wasn't her fault that she now feels abandoned in her time of need.
When a community looks only for evidence of guilt and ignores or suppresses all contradictory evidence, the results are a witch-hunt. ... Later, at Thomas Putnam's house, the witches tried to slit the throat of twelve-year old Ann Putnam Junior. - Again with a knife (the weapon Medea had used)" (Discovery at Salem). ...
When a community looks only for evidence of guilt and ignores or suppresses all contradictory evidence, the results are a witch-hunt. ... Later, at Thomas Putnam's house, the witches tried to slit the throat of twelve-year old Ann Putnam Junior. - Again with a knife (the weapon Medea had used)" (Discovery at Salem). ...
