Euripides portrays her character, Medea, through a combination of sometimes contrasting traits. She is of the female gender but is largely responsible for the glory achieved by her husband and obtained Kleos, an honor usually reserved for men. She is powerless in her relationship with Jason and powerful in her accomplishments and intelligence. She is a foreigner, yet, thanks to her marriage to Jason, she is Greek. Finally, he is mortal and, thanks to his grandfather, the sun god Helios, immortal. This relationship with the gods is very present in Medea. Throughout the play, Medea is often presented, both by herself and others, as the agent of divine will. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Euripides uses storm imagery to connect Medea's anger and revenge to the will of Zeus. Being both the "oath-keeper" (170) and the god of thunder, Zeus becomes the representative of Medea's anger. In describing Medea's disturbing situation, the Nurse worries about "adding new [pains] to the old... even before the present sky has cleared" (78 79). This metaphor simultaneously foreshadows the inevitable problems that arise from Jason's actions, Medea's obscuring will, and Zeus' anger. Like the rain from the stormy sky in the Nurse metaphor, Jason's violation of his marriage contract with Medea brings down the wrath of Zeus. The Nurse continues to predict Medea's revenge, describing how Medea "soon will shed light / in that rising cloud of her cries" (106 107). Medea's revenge, like Zeus' lightning, is direct and immediate. Given only the space of one day, Medea uses her supernatural knowledge of dark magic and potions to destroy everything Jason holds dear. Medea recognizes her role as executor of Zeus' will. Both as a sign of the intense agony of her situation and as a reference to the god whose will she believes to be on her side, Medea wishes that, as when Zeus asexually gave birth to Athena from his forehead, a bolt of lightning would "split [one's] head open" (144). Medea's statement demonstrates the lack of sustainability of the current situation and hints at the future violence that will follow from the emotions aroused by Jason's actions. As the play's drama progresses and Medea's anger grows, she persists in linking her actions to Zeus. In “the full force of the storm of hatred” (278) that Jason's actions have evoked, Medea begins to plot the eventual revenge she will take on Jason. Describing the hateful rage he feels in terms of a storm creates an inevitable causal relationship between Jason's actions and the inevitably tragic outcome that serves to separate Medea from the guilt of her vengeful actions. While Medea is often described in terms of images of Zeus, Zeus' actual role in Medea's revenge remains uncertain. Perhaps as a means of separating patriarchal divinity from directly condoning Medea's disturbing actions (the murder of the royals, the destruction of her husband, and the slaughter of her children), Euripides leaves the role of Zeus intentionally ambiguous. Through the barrage of images of Zeus surrounding Medea and her anger, it appears that Medea feels confident in the support of her paternal deity. While Zeus seems like one of the most obvious deities to pray to after Jason violates his marital commitments, Medea doesn't actually ask for his support. Instead, Medea prays to both Themis, “the goddess of promises” (169), and Hecate, the goddess of dark magic, for help. As the play progresses, uncertainty increases about the role that Zeus will have in Medea's revenge. When the Nurse refers to Zeus as thegod "whom we believe" (170) to be the Oath Keeper, Euripides makes us question whether it is Zeus or Medea who actually enforces Jason's oath. Medea is not entirely ignorant of the powerful god. In response to Jason's curse on Medea for her actions, Medea states: "Long would be the answer I could have given to / these words of yours, if father Zeus did not know / How I have treated you and what you have done to me" (1351-1353 ). Medea seems convinced that she is an agent of Zeus' will. However he receives the most obvious divine response help through other deities. Much of our perception of the relationship between Medea's actions and the gods is constructed through tricks of language. Euripides uses these tricks to make us doubt the role that Medea takes in fulfilling the will of the gods during a conversation with Medea, the Nurse notes that "God in fact, when angry, brings / greater ruin to the houses of great men" ( 128 130) Medea proceeds to kill Creon, his daughter, and her own children, thus carrying out the orders of the gods by destroying what had once been made. Creon's great house and causing the downfall of her husband, Jason, wiping out everything he holds dear. Medea often uses such tricks of language to present herself as an instrument of the gods' will, ambiguously referring to her own marriage to Jason or Jason's marriage to Creon's daughter, Medea warns Jason that "perhaps with God's help - / [made] the kind of marriage [he] will regret” (625-626). Ultimately Medea, through her elaborate punishment, ensures that Jason will ultimately regret both of them. Medea makes these statements to prefigure and justify her possible actions in line with the will of the gods. Ultimately, the prophecy rings true as Helios directly helps Medea by presenting her with a chariot pulled by dragons. Medea once again suggests her ability to fulfill the will of the gods during her interactions with King Aegeus. Distraught over his and his wife's inability to bear children, Aegeus travels through Corinth after discussing his problem with the oracle. Medea, distraught over Jason, meets him and wishes that "with the help of God" (714) she can have children. Once again Medea promises to act as an agent of the gods' will by promising "I will end your sterility and enable you / to bear children" (717-718) using drugs. In exchange he asks for asylum in his country. Eager to solve his problem and become a father, Egeus promises to allow Medea to remain in his country "for the love of the gods / and then for the birth of children" (720-721). Egeus recognizes that helping Medea would, in fact, be a virtue in the eyes of the gods. However, he refuses to transport her directly from the country for fear of "incurring blame from [his] friends" (730), showing that he recognizes that there can sometimes be a division between the will of the people and that of the people. of the. The Chorus also seems to recognize this division between the will of the people and that of the divinity. Medea kills Creon and her daughter as well as her and Jason's children to avenge the dishonor she suffered due to Jason's marriage to Creon's daughter. The Chorus attempts to dissuade her from killing her children. However, when it becomes apparent that Medea is resolute in her course of action, the Chorus adamantly protests that if she is punished for her actions "divine blood / may be shed by men" (1256-1257). Medea, as the granddaughter of Helios, goes beyond simply being an agent of the will of the divine blood gods. Having his blood shed by mortal men would disturb the natural order. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Euripides does it.