This piece is in response to watching a video of Medea being acted out. I allowed myself to tune in to key phrases or exchanges that stayed with me. The nurse is trying to reason with Medea and is asking ‘What does it make you?’ Medea answers, ‘What I am, defeated’ That word seemed to say it all. She does not stay so though, and propels herself forward into her scheme of revenge which plays itself inexorably out.

This is a drawing I made on Monday of a key point in the Medea story. I have challenged myself to make a drawing or drawings every week until the summer in response to Book 7 of Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis’. It seems that Medea’s outrage at Jason’s betrayal and in particular his betrayal of the sacred oath they made to each other hurt her the most, and the realisation of this fuelled her hatred and need for revenge which overrode even her love for her children. Chanelling this feeling of anger and rage resulted in this drawing. It made itself in my mind’s eye before any actual marks were made, I’m just manifesing what is already there. I was quite afraid of making such dark drawings, but going towards that has resulted in the opposite for myself coming out the other side. The softness of heartfelt real love that accepts someone just as they are. To really love someone they need to feel free even within the relationship.