Medea Quotes to Memorise

Revenge and jealousy - implied stage directions from Messenger

“and arranged her hair before a mirror smiling at the lifeless image of herself”

Revenge and jealousy - imagery from Medea

“stealing into the palace where the bed is made”

Revenge and jealousy - irony from Medea

“that will be a fine shame for the new wedded groom”

Revenge and jealousy - juxtaposition from Medea

“I will act thus to my enemies, and I will not spare my children, whom I bore”

Honesty and deceit - dramatic irony from Medea

“I understand what I am about to do is wrong, but anger…drives me on”

Honesty and deceit - rhetorical question from Medea

“Why should I hurt their father with the pain they feel, and suffer twice as much pain myself”

Honesty and deceit - dramatic irony from Medea

“I’ll say that I agree with him, that I approve”

Honesty and deceit - simile from Medea

“I will share my thoughts as though you were a friend”

Roles of men and women - juxtaposition from Medea

“I would very much rather stand three times in the front of battle than bear one child”

Roles of men and women - metaphor from Medea

“with an excess of wealth it is required for us to buy a husband and take our bodies a master”

Roles of men and women - foreshadowing from Creon

“Medea, I order you to leave my territories”

Roles of men and women - hyperbole from Jason

“for there is already abundance of pleasure for men”

Tension between reality and appearance - contrast from Jason

“I can prove you have certainly got from me more than you gave”

Tension between reality and appearance - hyperbole from Jason

“and women not to have existed, then life would have been good”

Tension between reality and appearance - contrast from Jason

“I’ll not desert my friends, but have come to make some provision for you”

Tension between reality and appearance - juxtaposition from Medea

“pleasant sounds for men living at ease”