So I got to thinking, and I wanted to open up this question to all of you...What does Jason regret exactly? Does he regret marrying Medea in the first place. even if she bore him sons? Does he solely regret his sons' deaths as a result of his new marriage (but not the union itself)? Or does he regret his new marriage, because if it hadn't taken place he would have experience Medea's wrath?
For me, this begs the question: is Jason a tragic hero?
For if Jason were a tragic hero he would have recognized his wrongdoing or tragic flaw (if he had one, it would be perhaps lust or even pride - he does take pride in his "more sophisticated" reasoning). Then he would regret having that flaw. But because he does not do the former, the latter cannot take place. Thus he cannot possibly be a tragic hero in the traditional sense. I do think that he possesses similar traits, but I don't find him very honest nor "good" in the moral sense, despite the times and despite the social conventions of his era. So...Jason doesn't regret his new marriage - he never even mentions this in the text.
So that leaves us with regretting the death of his boys and regretting his marriage to Medea.
I think it's hard to say outright that Jason regrets his marriage to Medea, because for one, Medea did give him his children and two, she helped him become a hero. There is a reason why Aphrodite (referring to the time before when the play takes place) made these two fall in love. In fact, Jason never states outright that he regrets marrying Medea - he only curses her for her actions. It even seems as if she leveled the playing field in some way: he says "You share my broken life" (388), showing that because they are equally hurt and childless, it's as if they could continue living a life together, as odd as it sounds. So I conclude from this that Jason does not regret marrying Medea.
He regrets his sons' deaths, quite obviously. But I believe that it's hard to say that that is the sole thing he regrets. As such, I must conclude for myself that Jason not only regrets his sons' deaths, but also Medea's reaction to his new marriage - but not Medea herself. (Need proof? In his speech on page 386, Jason, states "the gods have released the fiend in you" instead of simply saying "you")Or perhaps, Jason is too shocked to really regret anything at all and is just very angry and desperate. He has nothing left, so there is no room - mentally - to feel anything at all, and he can only mourn.
So? What do you think? :)
It's interesting to read this after hearing your oral presentation, Ann-Sophie, since you seem to have turned in another direction there. (Arguing, if I understood you correctly, that Jason does regret marrying Medea and blames himself for that choice, even if only at a subconscious level...)
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