Betrayal and Despair

Betrayal is the easiest route to becoming untrustworthy. The nurse tells us how "it has all gone sour now, affection turned to hatred" (15). Jason had "cast aside his children and [Medea]," and is in "a royal marriage with the daughter of Creon" (16-18). Jason's betrayal had taken a huge toll on Medea, and her children. Medea "won't eat, never looks up or raises her face, and gives in to her grief"(23-26). She even "hates her children, takes no pleasure in seeing them."(35) She gives them "that wild animal glare". Her children are in a way the ones who are betrayed the most, their own mother hates them and is told that God hates them too. Their father abandoned them. In the play they aren't even given names. I think this emphasizes how badly they are treated. The nurse fears that Medea will do something bad, such as "thrust a sharp sword through the heart"(40). Medea suffers great despair and even wishes to put an end to her life. Jason's betrayal causes Medea to shut out even her own children, as if she wanted nothing to do with Jason in any sort of tie. Unfortunately Medea deals with Jason's betrayal by putting it out on herself, she wishes to die. She was stabbed in the back by Jason deeper than anyone could ever stab her in the back. I think that introducing Medea with her first words being how much she hates her life and wishes to end it emphasizes what the nurse was saying about her being in so much despair and hurt. It sets the mood and gives us the vibe of her sufferings.