Topic-

Additional scene: Glauce confronts Medea about her relationship with Jason. What does she say? What
is Medea’s response?

Glauce:
Oh Medea! I hear you lamenting day and night ever since Jason left you! You poor soul. Now you and your
children have nowhere to turn to; unable to return to your beloved homeland. Oh Medea, the sacrifices
you made for Jason; orchestrating the plan to slay the serpent for him to obtain the golden fleece, killing
your own brother to stall time for you and him to escape Colchis, betraying your father, your family and
everyone dear to you... Oh, how they were all so in vain!

Whilst you may perceive me as an enemy, I am a woman just like you Medea. Like you- I too share your
womanly pain! I understand this feeling of abandonment must weigh upon you so heavily, and that in your
eyes there seems like no better alternative than death, isn’t that right? Like you, I too would desire death
more than anything if I were in your position. A woman without her husband is like a baby without its
mother. She is helpless.

But Medea, what can we do? This patriarchal society of which we live in is so unfair to us women. There is
no justice granted to us. We don’t have freedom in marriage nor outside marriage. Our role in society is
purely to be subservient to our husbands, to procreate and nurture our children. Yet what do we get in
return Medea? That’s right, an unfaithful husband! It is simply unfathomable that it is considered
acceptable for men to have affairs. The Gods must surely see this vivid injustice and inequality in their
eyes. Otherwise, I fear that this world has been cursed from the very beginning.

As of now, this deceitful Jason lives inside my house. Please understand, Medea; marrying him was not my
choice. My father, King Creon, compelled me to marry him; to expand our power between the two
kingdoms. I had no say in this marriage. I am a victim just like you. Please understand! Now, I do have one
fear that has been on my mind incessantly… when will Jason’s eyes next turn towards another woman of
royalty, of power? It is clear to us both he is incapable of controlling his sexual desires.

But what is done is done Medea. This building rage inside you that permeates your blood and veins must
subside. You must abandon your pursuit for revenge, as I can already foresee you in a state of disrepair, a
broken woman deprived of her own sanity. Please, I beg you to cut off all ties with Jason and move on.
Please, I beg you to focus on the welfare of your children; they need you the most during this difficult time
of yours. I do have utmost faith that the Gods will support you and your children once you are all exiled
from Corinth.

Medea:
You imbecile! You fool! How dare you spit your pitiful words at me! I do not need your fake sympathy. You
are much too naive. When you mentioned to me that you were a woman and could empathise with the
pain of abandonment that I feel, that was the most ridiculous, the most idiotic statement I have ever heard
from anyone! You have a father and a kingdom, I have nothing. Nothing. No-one has ever left you with
nothing; without a home, without a future. There is no way you can put yourself into my shoes. It’s simply
impossible. So don’t come telling me all this nonsense, I will buy none of it! You have infuriated me even
more! I detest you! Jason was lured in by your promiscuity! You knew he was married yet you still opened
up your legs for him! You dirty whore! You are equally responsible for the breakdown of our marriage!

Oh, I can’t bear to look at you any longer! Your presence triggers my most devastating rage! Oh, If only
your pathetic soul didn’t exist, Jason would have never left me! Oh, If only I could have foreseen this
outcome! Oh, if only I knew the man I was going to marry would be an adulterer, a coward, a monster! For
then I would have not embarked on this treacherous journey, obsessed and lovestruck by this man. Oh,
how I was so easily manipulated! Me, the granddaughter of the Sun God, a sorceress, a demi-god, played
by a mere mortal. How outrageous! How embarrassing! Hecates, Artemis, please, forgive me for being so
weak! Please, have sympathy for me!

[Medea recomposes herself] Oh, I am so sorry Glauce. It is not like me to so easily lose control of my
emotions. Forgive me. This rage inside of me needed to be released; I hope you understand. All of this has
taken such a huge toll on me; I am so tired, drained, I have no energy and will to continue to live anymore…
Oh, please, do leave me alone now. I need more time to myself to lament, to contemplate my future...
[Glauce leaves]
Oh Glauce, little do you know what I have in store for you…

Written Statement:

My additional scene between Glauce and Medea takes place before the deaths of Glauce, King Creon and
Medea and Jason’s two children. It is intended to shine light on Glauce, a character in the play that is
explored quite superficially by Euripides. Throughout the course of the play, we are introduced to Glauce
but never does she have any lines to say nor do we get any insight into her individual characteristics,
personality, history etc. Instead, we are positioned to view Glauce as a simpleton; someone who is
accepting of trinkets/gifts, and is indifferent to Medea’s plight. However, I am changing that perception by
making Glauce a more open-minded and complex character who understands and feels Medea’s pain as a
woman herself. Women at the time were inferior to the supremacy of men and were all restricted of their
freedoms and rights. They had no choice but to tolerate the injustice of the patriarchal society and endure
everlasting hardships. Therefore, I think it is reasonable for me to allow Glauce the ability to empathise
with Medea’s suffering in this scene.

As for Medea, she is very rational and controlled throughout the entire play; at no point do we ever
witness her having a major fit or outburst. In this scene, I have decided to unleash the ferociousness in her;
the vile anger that has boiled up inside of her from the day Jason deserted her. I want Medea to lose
herself in her rage, to become unbridled with her curses and to almost self-destruct as if she is undergoing
a catharsis. I believe this speech of Medea’s enables us to see the side of her that was very close to being
let loosed in the play.

The audience of this scene is primarily targeted towards an Athenian male audience much like it was
intended by Euripides when he wrote the play. The scene definitely takes a more feminist approach as we
have two women conversing about the injustices and inequalities of the patriarchal society, which
endeavours to trigger a sympathetic and empathetic response from the Athenian male audience. They are
prompted to ruminate over this “cry for justice” and feel disgusted with Jason’s behaviour which ironically
mirrors their own.

In terms of the language of which I adopt throughout this scene, it is relatively informal; however it is most
certainly not the conventional modern day speech of which we use today. I have endeavoured to
implement some of Euripides’ writing style [from the the translated text] into my speech, using some
“olden day, classical language” or language that I think would be appropriate in the context of this period. I
have combined short and long sentences to grasp different emotions, I have utilised some repetition to
enunciate certain important aspects, I have implemented listing to strengthen and stress some points, and
I have also included a simile to highlight the profundity of a serious issue. In terms of the pacing of each
speech, Glauce’s is definitely slower with more longer phrases to appear more balanced, restrained and
sympathetic, whilst conversely Medea’s is fast paced with successions of short sentences to engender a
sense of urgency in her audience.