Coming to the end of the book, Medea is either going to be exiled, or she’s going to die somehow. She will either be punished, or she will punish herself in some way. I also agree, I think Medea took it a bit too far in killing her own children.

The children are found and the chariot gates are opened— only to reveal Medea sitting there with the two dead children. Here comes up a new theme of regret because Jason regrets his decision of marrying Medea, when he should’ve realized her betrayal of leaving her home and killing her brother in the first place. He then curses himself for this. 

Medea finds satisfaction in the fact that Jason curse himself, and she believes that this is a good amount of suffering she caused him. She also found satisfaction in killing her children, even if that meant hurting herself in the process, it was bearable action that brought Jason enough suffering. I think this is so sad how she gives up her children just so she can see the suffering of a grown man. I feel like she doesn’t have much respect for herself in this way of letting this man determine how she feels and her actions. 

Jason asks to have a proper burial for them but Medea rejects his offering, and says that she will do it all herself. Medea also curses Jason and wishes upon him a cold death, “you to a paltry death that fits you well: your skull smashed by a fragment of the Argo’s hull— ironic ending to the saga of your new young love” (389). I like the ending of the story as well, I like how Euripides used symbolism in the way that Jason would be hit in the head by his own ship.

In conclusion, I think that this was a wild story, too much pettiness, and too many deaths. This is definitely not a “happily ever after” story. There was a lot of rage and revenge. Ultimately, I see the frustration of Medea being cheated on, but I think it was over-the-top for Medea to kill her own children. So overall, this was not my favorite book and I probably would not read it again.