medea

Thân thiện

Medea gazes thoughtfully at a golden fleece draped over a wooden chest.

Definition

Proper noun 1. (Greek Mythology) A princess of Colchis, a sorceress, and the wife of Jason. She is a central figure in the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, famous for using her magical powers to help Jason obtain the Golden Fleece, and later for the tragic revenge she takes upon him.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • In Euripides' tragedy, Medea kills her own children to punish Jason for his betrayal.
  • The myth of Medea explores themes of passion, betrayal, and exile.
  • Jason could not have captured the Golden Fleece without Medea's help.

Advanced Usage

• As an archetype: The name "Medea" is often used to represent a figure of powerful, destructive, and vengeful femininity, particularly a woman wronged in love.
  • Her portrayal of the character had all the fury and tragedy of a modern Medea.

Variants and Related Words

• Medean (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of Medea.
  • The play's climax had a truly Medean intensity.

Synonyms

• Sorceress
• Enchantress (in the context of her magical abilities)
• Avenger (in the context of her later actions)

Related Idioms & Phrases

• A Medea complex: While not a formal psychological term, this phrase is sometimes used informally to describe a pattern of extreme vengefulness, especially from a mother figure, stemming from betrayal.
  • The critic described the protagonist's ruthless actions as stemming from a Medea complex.

Học thuật

Noun

1. (Greek mythology) a princess of Colchis who aided Jason in taking the Golden Fleece from her father

Từ đồng nghĩa

• medea