References to the animal imagery are an integral part of Jeffers translation of Medea. Throughout Medea, animal imagery becomes more frequent, and it is used to reveal symbolic content, omens and foreshadowing, and Medea's tone. Medea, a young princess from Asia cheats her father, and kills her brother so that her husband Jason could have the Golden Fleece and be known as an adventurer. Medea leaves her place of birth with Jason and their two children because of the destruction she caused. After many years of "happiness", Jason makes a horrible decision and commits adultery with a much younger and beautiful princess from Corinth, named Creusa. Creusa's father, Creon, orders Medea and both of her children to be exiled from Corinth. Medea becomes furious with Creon, and she decides to make him pay for what he has done. She sends a wedding "gift" to Creusa, a golden coronet and a dress. As Creusa tried on the golden coronet and the dress, her insides began to boil with flames. In an attempt to save his daughter, Creon jumped on top of her, the fire glued him to her, and as he tried to get up their flesh tore off of their bodies. Medea's hatred for her husband caused her to savagely take the lives of her two innocent little boys. The children were a reflection of their father's image and Medea refused to accept that.
The animal imagery in Medea is used to reveal symbolic content. Through the use of symbolic content Jeffer is able to depict the characters personalities, and their traits. Medea refers to many of the characters in this Greek tragedy by using symbolic content. For instance, she repeatedly refers to her children as her "little falcons." " Brave little falcons-little pawns- (33). Medea does this to show her children's innocence. She is making a clear analogy of how her children are young and must be cared for and nurtured. Medea also refers to both Jason and Creon as being "the dog".
