The Characterization of Medea in Euripides and Ovid

The Medea by Euripides, Heroides XII: Medea to Jason by Ovid Both Fifth century B.C. playwright Euripides and Roman poet and dramatist Ovid tell the story of Jason ditching Medea for another woman; however, they do not always share a perspective on the female matron's traits, behavior, and purpose. Euripides portrays a woman who reacts to injustice by beginning a crusade to avenge all who harmed her which she is prepared to see through …

…monitoring. Euripides'Ovid conveys a new Medea who recognizes her weakness and then tries to fix it by thinking rationally. However, she does not abandon her emotional resources altogether! By combining pathological thought with logic and applying sufficient consideration when making decisions, Medea serves as the example of the ideal female in Ovid's opinion. Works Cited Grene, David, and Richmond Lattimore. Euripides I. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1955 The Homeric Hymns. John Hopkins University Press.