Euripedes' Medea is probably best defined as a tragedy. The play is a detail of the Greek (the founders of Tragedy) myth of Jason and the Argonauts which chronicles their heroic pursuit of the Golden Fleece. It is popularly accredited to Apollonius' Argonautica though references to it appear in a number of works from Homer to Ovid, from Hercules to the Odyssey. It was so widely ingrained throughout Greek mythology though, that it was close to being considered common knowledge and is widely referenced in non-Greek culture through the ages since, so Euripedes expansion on her role is noteworthy only in that it portrays Jason as a betrayer instead of a hero and Medea herself, to an extent, as a victim.
             As according to the account in the Argonautica and as referenced in the play itself, Medea is used as a pawn of the Gods, as a means to an end. Hera has Aphrodite generate Medea's love for Jason in order to assure his procurement of the Golden Fleece by first influencing her father, then using her knowledge and sorcery as aid, and then finally slaying her brother. So even though its Jason's quest, Medea ends up doing all the dirty work for the hero when he fails to handle the situations himself, she even has to slip the dragon sleeping potion so that Jason may step over him and claim his prize, her heritage. And she does this all willingly, selflessly and unthinkingly out of her love for him above all others. Then, as soon as Jason has what he wants and is safely far from Colchis and back to his hero's welcome he dumps her to capitalize on his newfound glory and marry into royalty, Creusa, thusly leaving her stranded in a foreign land after she forsook everything; her family, her kingdom, and her soul, for him. It's easy to see how she would be angry, especially considering that she was a force to be reckoned with in her own right; an accomplished sorceress and princess that was powerful enough to obtain t...