Point of View

       Although narration does not receive much attention while reading and examining a story, it is one of the most important aspects of literature. The point of view an author chooses to utilize transforms the story in a multitude of ways: emotion, time, characterization, and many more. Employing a strong voice throughout a story is essential in acquiring the audience’s attention. Medea is unique in the fact that the author, Euripides, makes use of three different points of view. In the beginning pages of the story, Medea speaks in the first person. For example, she states,“I’m spared no pain. I lack no pain to be spared me” (11). However, as the play progresses, she begins to speak in different points of view, varying the narration styles. She states, “You see how you are treated...You have the skill” (14) with “you” referring to herself. By employing the second person point of view, the audience connects to the characters on a more personal level. Euripides moves on to also include third person, by Medea stating, “Ah, come, Medea” (14). Through each of these examples, first, second, and third person point of view is used in the play.
The presence of fluctuating point of view lends a sense of uniqueness to the play. Because each view has its own advantages, the story benefits through the ability to gain insight in different ways. Through first and second person narration, the audience gains the opportunity to closely relate to the narrator by exploring their mind. Through third person narration, the audience gains an objective view of situations and is not limited to one character. All three points of view are effective in their own way and Medea takes advantage of these assets by utilizing all three.

Although this political cartoon does not necessarily depict a difference in point of view grammatically, it shows how two different ways of looking at a situation generates a unique perspective.