Medea

a)   One bad thing.

She tricked the daughters of Pelias into killing their father.  She killed her young brother Apsyrtus, cut him in pieces and threw him overboard, to prevent her father’s ship pursuing them.

 

  1. Why has Medea’s love for Jason turned to hatred?

Because he has abandoned her and married the princess in order to further his own interests.

  1. What evidence does the nurse have that Medea might harm her children?

She looks at them like an angry bull.

  1. Write down two ways in which Medea has reacted to the news of Jason’s desertion?

She doesn’t eat.  She doesn’t raise her head from the floor

  1. What evidence is there that Medea is popular among the people of Corinth?

The nurse says that when Medea came to Corinth she was welcomed by the citizens.


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One good thing the nurse says Medea has done for Jason.
She helped Jason tame the fire-breathing bulls. She used her magic to send the serpent which guarded the golden fleece to go to sleep
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One bad thing Medea does
She tricked the daughters of Pelias into killing their father. She killed her young brother Apsyrtus, cut him in pieces and threw him overboard, to prevent her father’s ship pursuing them.
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Why has Medea’s love for Jason turned to hatred?
Because he has abandoned her and married the princess in order to further his own interests.
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What evidence does the nurse have that Medea might harm her children?
She looks at them like an angry bull.
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Write down two ways in which Medea has reacted to the news of Jason’s desertion?
She doesn’t eat. She doesn’t raise her head from the floor
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What evidence is there that Medea is popular among the people of Corinth?
The nurse says that when Medea came to Corinth she was welcomed by the citizens.
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What news has the tutor just heard?
That Medea and her children are to be sent into exile
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Where did he hear this news?
At the fountain where the old men play at dice.
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How does the tutor think Medea will react to this news?
It will be a bitter blow for her
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How does the nurse feel about Jason when she hears this news?
She is about to curse but stops herself from doing so. After all he is her master.
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What evidence is there that Medea’s children may be in danger?
She doesn’t like the way Medea looks at the children, ‘her eye like a wild bull’s’.
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What Medea says about the children
Medea says that the children are cursed and like their father should die
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Why does the nurse think that the mind of a queen is a thing to be feared?
A queen is used to giving commands, not obeying them. Once she gets angry her rage is hard to appease.
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What kind of life would the nurse prefer to lead?
A quiet and peaceful life. Living a life of someone in a high position like a king or queen only brings big problems. That is what she fears may happen with Medea.
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Why would Medea expect the chorus to be sympathetic to her?
Because they are women like herself.
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Why does Medea think some people are hated unjustly?
Because they are quiet. Medea believes this is unfair. People should take the time to find out about a person’s true character.
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Why does Medea think that she herself should be especially careful not to give offence?
Because she is a foreigner who has come to live in Corinth. Therefore she should try to conform to the ways of the local people. Explain what is meant by the
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word dowry.
A dowry is a sum of money paid by the bride’s famile to the husband when their daughter gets married.
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When, for an extravagant sum, we have bought a husband…’ What point is Medea making when she says this?
If you buy something you expect to own it. In the case of a dowry she pays money to get the husband but ends up being owned by him.
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According to Medea what can make a married woman’s life enviable?
If a woman’s husband turns out to be submissive then she has an easy life.
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What is the unfair advantage a husband has in a marriage?
If the husband grows tired of his wife he can go out looking for the company of other women. However a woman must stay at home and only have eyes for her husband.
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Explain the argument which Medea uses to disprove the assertion of men that women lead an easy life free from danger
Men say that live a more dangerous life because they have to go off to war and fight battles. Medea says that the pain of giving pain is worse. She would be prepared to stand in the front line of battle than give birth to one child.
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What are the advantages that the Corinthian women have which Medea does not have?
They have a city, home and friends. She has no city or family because she betrayed her father and killed her brother. Now she has no husband.
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What does Medea ask the Corinthian women to do to help her? If she can find a
way to get her revenge on Jason they are to say nothing.
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Who is Creon?
He is King of Corinth
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What announcement does Creon make to Medea?
He tells her that she and her children are going to be sent into exile
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How does Creon speak to Medea? What kind of man does he come across as at the beginning of this scene?
He is quite rude and short towards her. He does not greet Medea by her name. He tells her immediately that he wants her out of Corinth. He does not want to give her a chance to reply or to try and persuade him to let her stay. He is frightened of
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Creon is banishing her because
She is a clever woman She’s an angry woman because Jason has betrayed her She has been heard threatening Creon, the princess and Jason
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Medea says that she is feared because she has a reputation for being clever. How does she try to calm Creon’s fears that
Medea knows that no one likes a clever person. People are either suspicious or jealous of you if you are clever. She calms Creon’s fear of her cleverness by saying that in fact she is not as clever as all that!
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she might harm Creon
because Jason is marrying the king’s daughter
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she is clever
Medea tells Creon that she doesn’t blame him for what has happened. In fact she thinks Creon has made a very sensible decision in marrying his daughter to Creon. It is only Jason she is angry with.
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What is it that Creon loves more than his country?
Creon loves his daughter more than his country. He is detrmined to protect her. That is why he insists on banishing Medea.
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What favour does Medea ask from Creon?
She asks for one day to make preparations for going into exile and to make provision for her two sons.
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How does Medea exploit Creon’s good nature?
She points out that Creon is a father too who loves his daughter, so he should have sympathy for her and her children as they go into exile.
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What is your view of Creon at the end of this scene?
You can’t help feeling sorry for Creon. He tried to come across and strong and tough when ordering Medea to leave Corinth, but really he’s soft-hearted and rather weak. Medea has been clever and he will suffer.
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What does Medea really think of Creon?
She says she would never have fawned on the man unless it had been to further her plan to get her revenge on Jason. She thinks Creon has been a fool in not banishing her. He could so easily have stopped he rbut now she has twenty-four hours to plot
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Who does Medea imagine her victims might be?
At this stage Medea thinks that she will kill Creon, the princess and Jason.
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What ways does Medea think of for killing her victims?
Setting fire to the palace and burning the bridal chamber.Driving a sharp knife through their guts. poison
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What two things does Medea think might cause her plan to fail?
If she is caught entering the house. If she is caught in the act of killing them
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What is it that Medea fears most if her plan fails?
That the last laugh will go to her enemies.
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What are the problems Medea might face once she has killed her victims?
No city would offer her protection No friend would be able to guarantee her safety.
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Medea decides not to get her revenge immediately because she needs two things if her plan is to be successful. What are they?
A safe refuge and a friend. She will then carry out the murders cunningly and quietly
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What will Medea do if she can’t guarantee her safety?
She will take a sword and kill them both, even if she ahs to die for it.
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Why does Medea venerate Hecate above all other goddesses?
Hecate is the goddess of magic and witchcraft. Medea herself is a sorceress, so it is natural that Hecate should be important to her.
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How, according to Jason, could Medea have managed to stay in Corinth?
If she had quietly accepted the decisions of those in power.
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What does Jason say has caused Creon to banish Medea and the children?
She has been reciting Jason’s crimes and saying bad things about the princess and Creon. He says she is lucky to have only been banished.
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What has Jason done to help Medea?
He has done his best to calm Creon down so that her punishment is only banishment.
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What does Jason propose to do now for Medea and the children?
Although Medea has been banished Jason will not desert a friend. He will make sure that Medea Medea and the children are provided for in exile.
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write down four things Medea did for Jason.
She saved his life by yoking the fire-breathing bulls She killed the serpent which guarded the golden fleece She deceived her father She tricked the daughers of Pelias into killing their father
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Why can’t Medea return to Iolcus?
The daughters of Pelias would not welcome her
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Why can’t Medea return to Colchis?
Because she betrayed her father
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“This hurricane of recrimination and abuse calls for good seamanship”. What does Jason mean by this?
Medea speech is like a hurricane of words. He feels like a sailor at sea in the hurricane. In answering her accusations he will have to be like a clever sailor at sea who can weather the storm.
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Who does Jason say holds the credit for his successful voyage?
The goddess Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love. He claims if it was Aphrodite who caused Medea to fall in love with him then really Aphrodite was the one truly responsible for doing all the things Medea claims to have done for Jason.
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Jason admits that Medea helped him in all the ways she has told him, but claims she has got more from him in return. How has Medea benefited?
He helped her leave Colchis, a barbarian land, and taken her to Greece, a civilised land where there is law and justice.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

One bad thing Medea does

Back

She tricked the daughters of Pelias into killing their father. She killed her young brother Apsyrtus, cut him in pieces and threw him overboard, to prevent her father’s ship pursuing them.

Card 3

Front

Why has Medea’s love for Jason turned to hatred?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What evidence does the nurse have that Medea might harm her children?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Write down two ways in which Medea has reacted to the news of Jason’s desertion?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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