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Medea
Medea is the daughter of king Aeetes of the island of Clochis and granddaughter of Helios, the sun god. When Jason arrived at Clochis on his ship the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece…
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Jason
Jason is the son of Aeson. As a child he is given to the centaur, Chiron, to be raised, educated, and protected from his greedy half-uncle, Pelias, king of Iolocus. In an effort to get…
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Creon
Creon, son of Lycaethus, is the king of Corinth, the city-state where the events of Medea take place. He is a discerning judge of character, and accurately determines Medea's intentions, yet he does a…
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Aegeus
Aegeus is the king of Athens and, apparently, an old friend of Medea's. He is childless and eagerly desires the children Medea promises to help him and his wife to have. He serves little…
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The Chorus
The Chorus is composed of a group of Corinthian women who have assembled outside of 's house because of the loud wailing and lamentation they have overheard coming from it. In many cases the Chorus…
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The Messenger
The Messenger is one of Jason's men and so formerly of Medea's household. He is, therefore, somewhat sympathetic to her wishes and needs. His main function is to relate the gruesome events that took place…
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The Children
The children, the two sons of Medea and Jason, each speak only once during the play. They are undifferentiated and, in some ways, more like set pieces than active characters. They, or, rather, their…
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The Princess
As the Princess never speaks or physically appears in the play, she is less a character than a significant figure. She is Creon's daughter and Jason's new bride. We learn any subtleties of her character…
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Minor Characters
The Nurse
The Nurse is one of Medea's servants. She is greatly grieved by Medea's misfortunes and, at the same time, fears for the children's lives because of Medea's all-consuming rage. She provides Jason and Medea's backstory and foreshadows the gruesome murders that take place in the play.
The Tutor
The Tutor is responsible for the children's education. He is something of a gossip and twice comes to share news he overhears while loitering at the palace. Like the Nurse he is an obedient servant who wishes the best for Medea.
