Medea exacts horrible revenge on Jason. Discuss Euripides' exploration of the desire for personal revenge in Medea. In the end, do we view her as a criminal or not?
             Euripides Medea explores the desire of personal revenge in each character, and how it is used before any mercy and reason. Medea, who her beloved husband has betrayed, takes divine revenge to punish him for his untimely departure, only to seek the rewards that revenge offers to pride. The senseless rage and revenge endured on Jason are only reversed for Medea's repercussions on him. To overcome the anger, which Medea reveals during the play, Medea seeks revenge on Glauce, which counteracts Creon, who was liable for her exile. We sympathize with Medea's suffering and heartache that has crippled her of superior life, yet we detest the act that depicts her as a criminal.
             Medea, who has been dishonestly betrayed by her husband Jason, uses revenge to punish him for his deeds and to seek the rewards which it offers to one's pride. The chorus sympathizes with Jason's untimely departure from Medea 'for a royal bed, which manipulates the audience to portray Jason as egocentric. Medea is a woman of extreme behavior and emotion who takes to the suggestion of revenge before any reason in an attempt to punish Jason's disloyalty, P25 "To punish Jason will be just". By murdering her own sons is the best option for dealing with Jason 'her deepest wound', but will also prevent a counter revenge. Quote P41 "the laughter of my enemies I will not endure". Although Medea will indeed suffer from her contemptible accomplishment, P49 "my misery is my own heart, which not relent", the appeal of sweet revenge is in her best interest. The desire of personal revenge that Medea foresees can be seen as relevant, although her actions have other affects that encumber Medea.
             Jason, in the opening stages of the play was portrayed in an evil light and has succumbed to the irrational revenge ...