Medea- Content Question

[clarke54321]

Could I argue that Medea uses her magic powers to present herself as a deus ex machina? I understand that the sun god provided her with it, but did she use her powers to arrange this?

Thanks!

[seth]

You could, but I honestly wouldn't because there really isn't much evidence to support that claim.

[HopefulLawStudent]

I don't think you could argue that, though if you an find significant evidence to substantiate that argument than you could.

EDIT: beaten by seth

[clarke54321]

Thanks for the advice. Would it be better if I said her mythological background facilitates this arrangement?

[meganrobyn]

I don't think you can, because the nature of a DEM is that it conveniently comes out of nowhere - whereas Medea has had powers the whole time, and used them to help Jason get the fleece in the first place, and a bunch of other things.

Also, I'm not sure how you'd benefit from doing it, because I can't think of an argument to make about it that advances any particular thematic argument Euripides is making. Can you think of any...?

[meganrobyn]

Thanks for the advice. Would it be better if I said her mythological background facilitates this arrangement?

Which arrangement?

[clarke54321]

Which arrangement?

Sorry, I mean the deus ex machina. My paragraph is based around the idea of how Medea uses her skills in magic to compensate for her lack of physical strength as a woman. The prompt is about Medea's quest to become a hero.

[meganrobyn]

Sorry, I mean the deus ex machina. My paragraph is based around the idea of how Medea uses her skills in magic to compensate for her lack of physical strength as a woman. The prompt is about Medea's quest to become a hero.

Phrasing it like that privileges physical strength and makes *magic* a kind of second-best attempt at getting almost as good - when it involves much more skill and learning. Was that deliberate? Because I'd argue Medea kills Jason in the awesomeness category.

[clarke54321]

Phrasing it like that privileges physical strength and makes *magic* a kind of second-best attempt at getting almost as good - when it involves much more skill and learning. Was that deliberate? Because I'd argue Medea kills Jason in the awesomeness category.

Not really. I'm just trying to convey the idea that while Medea lacks a quality of an ancient hero (physical strength), this doesn't stop her from becoming a powerful figure. 

[meganrobyn]

Not really. I'm just trying to convey the idea that while Medea lacks a quality of an ancient hero (physical strength), this doesn't stop her from becoming a powerful figure.

Good basic argument - but then I'd be careful with the wording.

When it comes down to it, she's not a guy. So she's not going to be able to be any kind of 'hero' like Jason can be, and physical strength is just one of the qualities attributed to *men*, but the sex is the primary quality. So, in a way, it's a little bit like how can women be heroes if they're not going to fit the idea of a hero in any superficial way? Greek masculinity (with a few tweaks depending on the city state) is defined through strength, but that's strength in a range of ways - to what extent can Medea achieve those ways despite not being a man? Less physical but more intellectual is one (magic connected to this, because a lot of her magic she knows how to do through studying ancient legends and texts).