Objectives

• Analyse how Euripides uses the Nurse's prologue monologue (Lines 1–130) to position the audience's sympathy before Medea appears.
• Analyse how Medea's speech on women's oppression (Lines 214–266) uses rhetorical structure to construct her as both victim and strategist.
• Explain how the Aegeus scene (Lines 663–758) functions as a structural turning point that makes Medea's revenge logistically possible.
• Analyse how the Messenger's report (Lines 1002–1250) uses graphic description to create tragic horror and implicate the audience.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that argues a clear interpretive claim about Medea's characterisation across the play, using close reference to specific lines.
• Evaluate how Euripides' fifth-century Athenian context — attitudes to xenoi, the oikos, and sophistic reasoning — shapes the audience's response to Medea's final escape.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: The Nurse's Lament: Positioning Sympathy Before Medea Speaks

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read Lines 1–15 of the Prologue (Ch.1), which is printed on your desk. In two sentences, note what the Nurse wishes had never occurred, and identify a single word that captures her emotional state. You only need the extract and a pen; your notes aren't necessary.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Lines 1–8 ('I wish the Argo had never…'): illustrate how the repeated phrase 'I wish' builds a sense of regret and shifts blame back onto the Argonaut myth, rather than directing it at Medea herself. Highlight how this structural decision — having a sympathetic intermediary speak before Medea is introduced — shapes the audience's initial perception of a foreign woman who has already committed horrific acts in Colchis. Use the term 'narrative proxy' and encourage students to take note of it.

   Independent task

   Read Lines 36–95 of Ch.1 (the Nurse's account of Medea's collapse indoors). Write one analytical paragraph (PEEL structure) arguing how the Nurse's description of Medea — 'she lies without food, giving herself to pain' — constructs Medea as a figure of pathos rather than threat at this stage of the play. The paragraph must quote at least two phrases from Lines 36–95 and must include one comment on what the Nurse's perspective conceals from the audience.

   Exit ticket

   Euripides gives the Prologue to the Nurse instead of Medea herself to create a sense of sympathy for Medea, using the Nurse as a proxy to express the emotional turmoil surrounding her character.

2. Lesson 2: Victim and Strategist: Medea's Speech on Women (Lines 214–266)

   60 min · ch. 3, 4

   Do now

   Lines 214–266 (Ch.3) are on your desk. Underline any words or phrases that depict women as powerless. Circle any words or phrases that illustrate Medea's strategic thinking. You have four minutes. Please refrain from discussing for now.

   Teacher input

   Model rhetorical analysis on Lines 230–247 ('Of all things which are living and can form a judgement…'): illustrate how Medea transitions from the universal ('all things') to the specific ('a husband') in a logical sequence that resembles sophistic argument. Emphasize the verb 'form a judgement' — Medea asserts her rational agency even as she depicts women's subjugation. Show how this dual move — victim's content, philosopher's structure — renders her both dangerous and sympathetic at once. Write the term 'sophistic rhetoric' on the board and provide a brief definition.

   Independent task

   Annotate Lines 248–266 (the section beginning 'But if we work this out well…') independently. Then write two analytical paragraphs: the first arguing that Medea presents herself as a victim of Athenian gender norms; the second arguing that the same speech reveals a calculating intelligence. Each paragraph must quote a different phrase from Lines 214–266 and must end with a sentence connecting the quotation to a fifth-century Athenian audience's likely reaction to a foreign woman making this argument.

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   Medea's speech in Lines 248–266 highlights her plight under Athenian gender norms, portraying herself as a victim of societal expectations. She states, "I am alone, and I have no one to support me," which underscores her isolation and the lack of agency afforded to women in her position. This sentiment resonates with the limitations placed on women in ancient Athens, where they were often confined to domestic roles and denied public voice. The Athenian audience likely sympathized with her situation, recognizing the constraints imposed on women, even as they might have felt discomfort at a foreign woman articulating such grievances so openly.

   Conversely, the same speech illustrates Medea's sharp intellect and strategic thinking. When she claims, "I can devise a plan that will benefit me," it reveals her ability to manipulate her circumstances to her advantage. This assertion not only showcases her resourcefulness but also challenges the audience’s perception of her as merely a victim. The fifth-century Athenian audience might have been taken aback by her boldness, as it contradicted their expectations of women, particularly a foreign woman, demonstrating the power of her cunning in a patriarchal society.

   Exit ticket

   Medea claims she desires to make peace and avoid conflict in Lines 214–266, but the audience is already aware from Chapter 1 that she is secretly plotting revenge against Jason.

3. Lesson 3: The Hinge of the Plot: Aegeus, Refuge, and the Logic of Revenge (Lines 663–810)

   60 min · ch. 7, 8

   Do now

   At the start of Chapter 7, Medea struggles with feelings of anger and betrayal after being abandoned by Jason. By the end of the chapter, she has resolved her emotional turmoil, gaining a sense of empowerment and clarity regarding her situation.

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   Summary of Changes:

   • Adjusted phrasing for natural flow while maintaining the original meaning.
   • Made slight modifications in sentence structure for better readability.

   Teacher input

   Model structural analysis on Lines 709–730 (Medea's oath-binding of Aegeus): illustrate how Medea secures a legally binding promise — 'swear by the Earth, by the Sun my grandfather' — before she discloses the complete details of her plan. Highlight how this scene acts as a pivotal point: without Aegeus's promise of refuge, the infanticide becomes logistically unfeasible, as Medea would have no place to escape. Teach students to discuss dramatic structure by labeling this moment 'the enabling condition' and tracking its implications forward to Ch.12.

   Independent task

   Read Lines 764–810 (Ch.7 resolution and Ch.8 Third Stasimon). The Chorus extols Athens as a city of wisdom and art, highlighting its cultural achievements, before revealing their shock at Medea's chilling plan. Euripides creates a striking irony by juxtaposing the admiration for Athens with the Chorus's desperate question: "How will you find the courage to kill your own children?" This contrast emphasizes the tension between the city’s celebrated values and the horrifying act contemplated by Medea. For an Athenian audience at the City Dionysia, this placement serves to provoke a deep reflection on the moral implications of such an act, suggesting that even in a society steeped in culture and intellect, the capacity for extreme violence can emerge, challenging their perceptions of heroism and ethics.

   Exit ticket

   The Aegeus scene is crucial to the plot because it provides Medea with a potential ally and a means of escape after her revenge. If Aegeus had refused her, she would need to reconsider her strategy, possibly seeking a new way to achieve her goals without the safety net of his protection.

4. Lesson 4: Horror Made Visible: The Messenger's Report of Glauce's Death (Lines 1136–1221)

   60 min · ch. 10, 11

   Do now

   Greek tragedy never depicted violence onstage. Write one sentence predicting: how does hearing a death described instead of witnessing it affect an audience? Keep this on your desk — you'll revisit it at the end of the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model analysis of the Messenger's description of Glauce's death (Lines 1167–1203, Ch.11): focus on the transition from beauty ('she looked so radiant in the gifts') to grotesque decay ('the golden diadem devoured her flesh'). Highlight how the Messenger's eyewitness perspective — 'I saw it myself' — creates a false intimacy that amplifies the horror beyond what staging could convey. Illustrate how to approach the messenger convention as a purposeful formal choice rather than a theatrical constraint: Euripides employs it to engage the audience's imagination in the violence.

   Independent task

   Read Lines 1204–1221 (Creon's death, Ch.11). Write one analytical paragraph arguing that the description of Creon's death serves a different dramatic purpose from Glauce's. Your paragraph must: quote at least one phrase from Lines 1204–1221; explain what Creon's death adds that Glauce's alone could not achieve; and end with a sentence about what the Messenger's report makes the audience feel about Medea's intelligence as a planner.

   Exit ticket

   Return to your do-now sentence. Revise or confirm it based on the lesson. Then add: does the Messenger's report change how sympathetic you feel towards Medea — and why, in one sentence?

5. Lesson 5: The Dragon Chariot: Justice, Escape, and What the Ending Refuses to Give Us (Lines 1251–1419)

   60 min · ch. 12

   Do now

   Lines 1391–1404 (Ch.12) are on your desk — Jason's final speech. Underline each word that conveys loss. Circle every word that indicates blame. In one sentence, note who Jason blames for the children's deaths.

   Teacher input

   Model an interpretive argument on Lines 1317–1322 (Medea above the stage in the dragon chariot, Ch.12): illustrate how the staging — with Medea elevated and unreachable alongside the children's bodies — visually realizes her assertion of divine protection ('Helios, my grandfather, gave me this chariot'). Show how to formulate an interpretive claim: 'Euripides denies the audience the catharsis of punishment — Medea escapes, Jason suffers, and the play concludes not with justice but with a question about the nature of justice when the law fails to reach a foreign woman under divine protection.' Model this as a thesis sentence that students can modify.

   Independent task

   Euripides presents Medea's escape as both a triumph and a tragedy, showcasing the complexity of her character and circumstances. In Lines 1251–1419, Medea's resolve is evident when she declares, “I will not be a slave to my emotions,” indicating her determination to reclaim her agency after Jason’s betrayal. This moment highlights her strength but also foreshadows the tragic consequences of her actions. The Chorus’s final lines, “For the gods bring unexpected outcomes,” encapsulate the unpredictability of fate, suggesting that while Medea may achieve her desire for vengeance, it comes at a great cost. This duality echoes an earlier moment in the play when Medea laments her isolation, highlighting that her triumph is intricately tied to her tragic downfall, as her victory ultimately leads to her profound alienation.

   Exit ticket

   Euripides shapes the audience's emotional reaction to Medea by intertwining her profound suffering with her ruthless actions, ultimately challenging our moral judgments and evoking both sympathy and horror.

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket Lesson 1: student's sentence about the Nurse-as-proxy reveals whether they understand how Euripides controls sympathy before Medea appears — look for the idea of mediated perspective, not just plot summary.
• Exit ticket Lesson 2: the contrast between what Medea claims to want (justice, recognition) and what the audience knows she is planning (murder) — look for students holding both readings simultaneously rather than collapsing into one.
• Lesson 3 independent paragraph: check that students are writing about dramatic structure (the Aegeus scene as enabling condition) rather than simply retelling what Aegeus promises — the irony of the Athens-praise must be named.
• Exit ticket Lesson 4: the revised do-now sentence should show a shift from a general claim about offstage violence to a specific claim about complicity or imagination — look for the word 'audience' or 'imagination' in the revision.
• Lesson 5 exit ticket thesis sentence: must make an argument (not describe) and must be falsifiable — a thesis that says 'Euripides presents Medea as both good and bad' is not yet an argument; look for a claim about why or to what effect.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a scene is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Explain the function of a narrator or speaker in a literary text, including how the choice of narrator shapes meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters in a literary text and how characterisation contributes to the work's meaning.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of a significant event or turning point in a literary text and how it contributes to the work's overall structure.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific words and phrases in a literary text, including how they contribute to meaning and effect.
• Literary and Intellectual Context (LIC-1) — Explain how the historical, cultural, or literary context of a work is relevant to its interpretation.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including the effects of language, form, and structure.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations, including the ways in which the text can be read as both sympathetic and condemnatory towards Medea.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts through language, form, structure, and dramatic technique.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts (fifth-century Athenian attitudes to xenoi, women, and the oikos) in which Medea was written and has been received.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including the relationship between Euripides' Medea and its later adaptations and reception.