Draconian law (developed in the eighth century B.C. by the notorious Draco) made death the penalty for the smallest of crimes; homicide, however, was not among them. When Solon, the great Athenian lawmaker, revised the Draconian laws drastically in the 6th century B.C., he “declined to include homicide in the category of crimes, and permitted it to remain a matter for action by the family, not the state” (Calhoun 85). Calhoun also states that “…the Greeks were not nearly so concerned with the taking of human life as with other crimes that we look upon today as far less heinous” (85). Euripedes’ Medea, originally produced in 431 B.C. (Lahanas 1), displays such anachronistic morality in plain view. In the play, the chorus (made up of Corinthian women) acts as a moral compass of sorts, providing the modern reader with a glimpse into the mindset and moral values of a people so far removed from contemporary times. Contrary to modern thinking, their commentary reveals that they believe Jason to be the more responsible party. Originally they are on Medea’s side, wishing a swift and just revenge on Jason. When they learn Medea’s plan to kill her children, they express pity rather than anger. Despite all of this, their final remarks imply that it is still Jason whom they fault the most for the murders of his sons, mainly because he broke his vow of fidelity to Medea, who was a faithful wife.
Though the chorus never comes out and says who is ultimately responsible for the murders in the play, their dialog can often point the reader in the right direction. When the leader of the chorus learns of Medea’s plans to seek vengeance on her adulterous husband, this is her response: “This will I do; for thou wilt be taking a just vengeance on thy husband, Medea” (Euripedes 1). The chorus continues to sympathize with Medea (and simultaneously demonize Jason) throughout the first half of the play. They frequently express support for her murderous plans, and sorrow for her plight. Euripedes, at least in the very beginning of the play, clearly tries to sway his audiences’ sympathy towards Medea. Using the chorus he portrays Medea as a woman wronged, and justifies her call for vengeance on Jason, his new bride, and father-in-law.
As the play wears on, though, Medea’s bloodlust becomes increasingly insatiable. Watching from the sidelines, the chorus desperately attempts to deter Medea from murdering her two children: “…thou wilt be the saddest wife alive” they tell her. When they come to the realization that they can not stop the play’s final murders, nor Medea’s descent into madness, they instead begin to pity her, labeling her a “victim of an evil fate”. So though Medea’s commitment of infanticide is a heinous act by today’s standard, the audience is essentially being told by the chorus to feel sorry for her and her predicament. This is far from what modern-day Americans are used to. If the playwere set today, Medea would be swiftly brought to court, where she would be tried for multiple homicides. More than likely her defense attorneys would have cried “insanity!”, and she would have been either thrown into a mental institution or a federal prison for a life sentence. Jason’s responsibility for the acts would probably not have even been brought up. As it is in Medea, he is given at least as much blame for the deaths as Medea. The chorus repeatedly condemns him, stating that he “…hast sinned in [his] betrayal of [his] wife”. Even after Medea commits the murders, they offer up an even more accusatory statement: “This day the deity, it seems, will mass on Jason, as he well deserves, a heavy load of evils”.
Euripedes makes a bold, almost pre-feminist statement with such a non-conformist conclusion. Medea commits unthinkable acts all in the name of vengeance and jealousy, yet she manages to get away with it, escaping Corinth in a chariot sent to her by the sun-god Helios. The fact that the gods aid her in her escape also says a great deal about whom the play condemns the most for their actions. Worship and reverence of the gods were one of the most dominant and important aspects of Ancient Greece. By putting the deities on Medea’s side, Euripedes offers up a clear defense of her actions and, simultaneously, a denouncement of Jason and his selfish abandonment of her. This, coupled with the chorus and their ultimate condemnation of Jason, leads one to the realization that, even though Medea was the only person to actually lay a finger on any of the victims, Jason was as responsible for their deaths. It was he who put all of the events into motion by breaking his vow of eternal fidelity, and, in the end, was forced to pay the price.
George M. Calhoun. The Growth of Criminal Law in Ancient Greece.
Euripedes. Medea. The Internet Classics Archive.
Michael Lahanas. “Medea”. Hellenica.
