Medea (Thoughts)

"What does the fate of Medea and those who mistreat her and oppress her say about it's own time?"

     The play Medea is about a woman who has been left by her husband for a princess.  Obviously, she is upset about this. (Wouldn't you be too?)  She was in despair and she decided to commit a series of brutal murders in order to avenge the misfortune that her husband had brought upon her.
   
     In her doing this, we can see very clearly the affects that the Peloponessian War had caused.  (the play and the war were about the same time)
   
     This work of Greek drama has a mix of grief, anger, and love all wrapped up into one.  This being the case, I can see the same thing in war.
   
     War is typically brought on by grief (and or) anger just as the murders that Medea committed were brought on by these.
   
     In war we also see love.  Men leaving their friends and families can be tragic.  It tears the people affected apart.  It can be the making or unmaking of a person, and in Medea's case, it was her unmaking.
   
     It was tragic, just as the time of the Peloponessian War was tragic.  These are the things that I see reflected in the play Medea.

"Can we learn anything from Medea about the Greek's attitude towards foreigners and women?"

     Yes, I believe that we can.  In Medea we see both a mix of those that don't care what your gender is or about where you come from, and then again, we see those who do.  (Sounds a bit like society today don't you think?)
   
     We see some, (her husband, Jason for example) that can be sexist.  He seems to see Medea as no more than a play thing.  Something that he can leave and not reap the consequences of doing so.  And then we see others such as the king.  He seems less opposed to the opposite gender than did Jason.  We see this when his daughter is killed by Medea.  He is heart-broken by the loss of his dear daughter.  In this seen, we can tell that he really did care for his daughter.  It certainly didn't seem like he thought of her as no more than a play thing.
   
     Now I will do my best to answer the question concerning the view of foreigners.

     Medea was a foreigner and it appears that although she was respected by some, she was also mistreated by others.  (Again, I am using Jason as an example).  He left her for a woman of his own city.  Not that of another which Medea was.  And then again, we see the man who agreed to offer Medea safety in his land if she could get there.  It doesn't seem like he was very opposed to foreigners.

     Yes, I think that there where certain wide-held views of women and foreigners, but also that there were some who didn't have those views.  I believe that just like with anything in the world, it was a mixed lot.
     Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!