If Jason wrote to an Agony Aunt about Medea

A funny twist on Euripides' "Medea", from the POV of Jason.

Dear Agony Chorus,

I am writing to you today because my ex is obsessing over me and I’m worried she will to try to hurt me. Medea is an admirable, passionate woman from a distance but once you get to know her or see her other side then she becomes unpredictable and explosive. My relationship with Medea began when I was travelling and she fell madly in love with me, she always loved me more than I loved her but that wasn’t a problem for me at the time because she was desirable and seemingly pleasant to have around. However, I lost interest in her and soon enough I found another charming lady called Glause who is quieter and fairer than Medea, so I broke up with Medea.

To say the least, she didn’t take it well. To be honest, I may have unwittingly invested too much of myself into Medea, therefore she has become too attached to me. I did give her children and a very prestigious seat in the palace of Corinth. Nonetheless her reaction is excessive and she just won’t accept our separation. All women are the same, once they “fall in love” then they can never fall out of love, if only they could be less sensitive, life would be so much easier for us men. Medea claims that I am ungrateful because she sacrificed a lot of things for me but she didn’t have to as she was only a puppet of the Gods. She claims that I have deceived and manipulated her. That is nonsense because I have already thanked her for her deeds and also I have very kindly offered to give her a generous amount of money to go live elsewhere with the children. She doesn’t understand that our separation is for our family’s good as my marriage to Glause will bring in additional income and advantages that everyone will profit from, though separately.

Sometimes Medea has outbursts of anger that can be very subtly violent, she keeps threatening my family and I. People close to her have told me that she’s scheming something evil. I don’t mean any harm to Medea, I just don’t want to deal with her anymore but I also can’t ignore the impending danger that follows her. Please help me, I am scared for the safety and well being of the ones I love, I just want to settle things calmly with her so nobody gets hurt.

Hoping you will provide a solution to my dilemma, I am desperate for an escape.

Jason, a martyr.

Dear Martyr,

First of all, take a deep breath, your letter was charged with a lot of anger and frustration and I would like you to be try and stay detached from the situation as this will help you face Medea. It seems to me that your ex is still madly in love with you and she does not want to let you go. She only wants your attention, which she wholeheartedly believes to deserve, however you have directed it to another woman. In addition to this, the new woman you have picked is wealthier and prettier than she is, so Medea feels very hurt and worthless. Instead of grieving and showing you that you have the upperhand, Medea has chosen anger and vengeance to try and “win” this break-up. It takes a lot of courage to appear vulnerable in the eye of the one you love and she has too much pride to let herself be defeated. As you have described her, it seems as though your ex is overly passionate and has explicitly threatened you. My dear Jason, I’m glad you have contacted me because you have reason to be worried.

Overly emotional people are the most dangerous ones as they commit crimes charged with passion, with a toxic cocktail of love and hatred. There are two solutions to this, one is the rational way in which Medea chooses to cooperate, the other is if she does not. Firstly, you should incite Medea to sit down at a table and find an agreement with you about the logistics of your separation. The key to this is to listen to her, be patient and tolerant, she is overwhelmed and she can’t control her emotions. Show empathy, everyone has known the feeling of being overcome by a flood of feelings that trap you in a strong grip. Another thing you should be aware of when talking to Medea is the use of negation and open questions. Do not commence a sentence with or say “no” when responding to her demands as she will feel like you are not cooperating and her anger will increase. Also, ask open questions like “how do you feel about this?” instead of “do you feel upset about this?”, even if it is obvious you should because she may otherwise feel as though you are assuming things about how she is feeling, therefore being condescending. If this plan fails and Medea refuses to understand and continues to fuel her rage then you have to take matters in your own hands. If you feel in danger, and this is justified, with proof of evidence you can demand a restraining order so she will not be able to physically harm you. This will give her a wake-up call and maybe she’ll realise that she is being too extreme. However, be lenient with the restraining order, if she tries to reach out to you she may be finally willing to have a discussion and you should let her in.

Remember that everyone involved in this only wants the best for you both, and I’m sure there is a way of reaching a peaceful agreement if you follow my advice.

Yours sincerely, the Agony Chorus. 

Author's Note

Not trying to be disrespectful towards Euripides!

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good story written. Myth and tale is my favorite. I liked the personal view and the amazing thoughts and views shared in the story. Thank you Isabella for sharing the outstanding tale.
Coyote