WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MEDEA MYTH?
Karl Kerenyi says, “Medea, […] wronged in her love and in her dignity as a queen and wife, appeared on the stage as a mortal woman, bearer of the common lot of womankind, and of the greatest injustice and ingratitude that ever fell to the share of any deliverer.” Medea was immortal, a granddaughter of the sun Helios. She was also an enchantress. Her aunt, a daughter of Helios, was Circe who turned men into pigs, which identifies Circe with goddesses of the earth, of magic, of the dead (But living things must die to be reborn.) Thus Medea has powers of light and darkness. It is the dark powers that Euripides uses in his play, although Helios sends the dragon-drawn chariot to rescue her. The myth, which Euripides’ audience would have known, makes Medea’s intelligence (her power) essential to the success of the hero Jason, whose mission is to recover a golden fleece. Gold is significant because it shines like the sun and does not tarnish. It is eternal light. The entire story of the fleec
