''Médée'' is a dramatic

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

in five acts written in

alexandrine Alexandrine is a name used for several distinct types of verse line with related metrical structures, most of which are ultimately derived from the classical French alexandrine. The line's name derives from its use in the Medieval French ''Roma ...

verse by Pierre Corneille in 1635.

Summary

The heroine of the play is the sorceress Médée. After Médée gives Jason twin boys, Jason leaves her for

Creusa In Greek mythology, Creusa (; grc, Κρέουσα ''Kreousa'' "princess") may refer to the following figures: * Creusa, a naiad daughter of Gaia. * Creusa, daughter of Erechtheus, King of Athens and his wife, Praxithea. * Creusa, also known b ...

. Médée exacts her revenge on her husband by burning his new spouse and slitting the throats of her two children. The final act of the play ends with Médée's escape in a chariot pulled by two dragons, and Jason's suicide.

''Médée'' (1635) in Pierre Corneille's career

''Médée'' was Corneille's first tragedy. This tragedy was performed for the first time in 1635 by the Marais troupe, the rival of the hôtel de Bourgogne. During its installation at the

Théâtre du Marais The Théâtre du Marais has been the name of several theatres and theatrical troupes in Paris, France. The original and most famous theatre of the name operated in the 17th century. The name was briefly revived for a revolutionary theatre in 1791, ...

, the play's reception was lukewarm. Furthermore, the performances of ''Médée'' followed Corneille's expulsion from the prestigious group of five authors. The playwright no longer had the protection of Richelieu, who, resentful, greeted Corneille's first tragedy with disapproval. ''Médée'' was published in 1639, four years after it was first performed.

Seneca : both example and source of inspiration for Corneille

Corneille, inspired by the play by

Seneca Seneca may refer to: People and language * Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America ** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people Places Extrat ...

and by the play by

Euripides Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars ...

, also brought numerous personal modifications to his interpretations. {{DEFAULTSORT:Medee 1635 plays Plays by Pierre Corneille Tragedy plays Plays based on Medea (Euripides play) Adaptations of works by Seneca the Younger