The Role of Aegeus in "The Medea" (Prompt 8)

If you were thinking Medea's simply crazy or a horrible person, the interaction between her and Aegeus might be one of several moments in the play that would make you reconsider. For Aegeus proves such a kind and understanding character that we cannot but seeing the same qualities in Medea as long as they are "old friend(s)" (80). Aegeus genuinely cares about how Medea feels; he sympathizes with her, offers her advice and help in the form of a place of refuge. Especially against Medea's unfaithful husband Jason, Aegeus appears kind: he is a faithful friend and does not treat her as a barbarian like Aegeus does. At this point, we do know Medea to be violent and not completely truthful, hiding her plans from Aegeus and her future victims, but we can also see positive qualities in her personality: she values marriage, her children, and faithfulness, and she can think for herself and defy gender roles. The close friendship between Medea and Aegeus only makes her more likable.

The fact that Aegeus is not only a nice man but King of Athens is also significant. We know that the Athenian audience would have liked and respected the character of Aegeus just like they would in real life. That such a trustworthy, highly-regarded character can not only associate with Medea, but support her and sympathize with her, would have made the audience wonder if they should do the same just as it made me. Aegeus says, "Indeed, Medea, your grief was understandable" (83). When Medea tells Aegeus she will be exiled from Corinth, Aegeus responds with astonishment: "Banished? By whom? Here you tell me of a new wrong" (83).When Aegeus sees Medea, he is unaware of her plans to murder her family, the princess and her father in order to spite her husband Jason. But if not only Medea herself and the Chorus, but the King of Athens - whose opinion we are supposed to trust - all think her grief is "understandable" and her impending exile "wrong," then it is highly unclear how we should think of Medea. She is at once a devious, ruthless murderer and an unlucky, mistreated, sane woman.