The Quest of the Golden Fleece

Alexander Speer, Clark Gustafson, Maticyn Milia, Joanna Zhang, and Nicole Loor

161-180

Goes on the quest, knowing that his life may be in danger and he may not come back alive

Goes to the “unknown” with the Argonauts

Willing to endure hardship for the Argonauts while trying to achieve the Fleece

Thinks of a way to protect his team (by using Medea)

CourageousHe returns and kills Pelias with

the help of Medea, claiming his throne

Comes back as “changed person

Lying to Medea and marrying the daughter of the King of Corinth instead

Using Medea and not actually loving her

Exiling Medea

FLAWSHEROIC QUALITI

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QuestJason went on a quest for the Golden Fleece. He went on this quest as Pelias promised that if he were

to obtain this fleece he would give the kingdom back to Jason.

Pelias sent Jason on this quest thinking there would be no way he would be able to survive and make it back alive.

The reason he wanted Jason to go on such a tough mission was that the Oracle told him that he would die “at the hands of a kinsmen and that he should beware of anyone whom he saw shod with only a single sandal.” (163) Also, both of these attributes applied to Jason; thus the reason he wanted to get rid of him.

TasksIn this story, Jason has to yoke magical bulls

and needs to use these bulls to plow the field and then sow the field with dragon teeth.

Jason steals the golden fleece with the help of Medea

Jason navigates Scylla, Charybdis, and TalusJason plots his revenge by having Medea trick Pelias’ daughters into chopping Pelias into pieces

Motifs and Themes - What goes around comes around- Pelias stole Phrixus’s uncle’s

kingdom, while Jason (the rightful heir) was secretly hidden away in safety, he grew up and went back to reclaim his rightful throne from Pelias. Pelias sent him on a quest for the Golden Fleece and Jason reclaimed the throne that he deserved. Pelias also got what he deserved, his wrongdoing was returned by Jason.

- Love conquers all- Medea loved Jason so much that she betrayed her own father. She gave him a box of ointment that could make himself invincible for the day. He conquered dragons with her advice (throwing a stone). She also made the serpent who gaurded the Fleece fall asleep, letting Jason take it. Medea tricked Pelias’s daughters into chopping their father up into pieces (convincing them she could make him younger) for Jason to get revenge on his mom and dad’s death. Everything she did was for Jason- the good and the bad.

- Pride Goes Before A Fall- Medea determined to kill Jason’s new bride, gave her a robe that set her on fire. However, there was no more protection for children anymore.

Major Archetypes (Hero)- Jason is the Hero- He went on a quest to obtain the golden fleece and return so he would be able to rule the kingdom rightly- He lead a team of Argonauts and they fought off harpies, made it through the clashing rocks, and were able to thwart the king’s plans of killing them- He, with the help of Medea, was able to bring back the golden fleece  

Major Archetypes (Trickster)

- Medea is the trickster- She is the King’s daughter that Jason goes to get the fleece from- She possesses powers of sorcery that she uses to aid the Argonauts in their quest- Jason urges her to “trick” Pelias’ daughters to kill their father so Jason can get revenge on Pelias for forcing his father to kill himself, causing his mother to die of grief

Major Archetypes(Villain)

-Pelias would follow the role of the villain because he is afraid of Jason and sends him to do lots of quests when in reality he is only trying to get him killed.-He wants Jason to die because the prophecy says that Jason is supposed to kill him.-Pelias could also follow the role of the two face because when Jason arrives to his city he appears friendly and houses him when all along he wants him to die.

Origin of the Golden FleeceThere was a King named Athamas

who got tired of his wife, Nephele, and decided to marry another woman named, Princess Ino.

Nephele feared that Princess Ino would try to kill Nephele’s son, Phrixus, and she was correct.

Ino plotted a plan so that the King would sacrifice his own son. However, just before he was sacrificed a ram with golden fleece came and saved Phrixus and his sister. The sister fell of the ram into the water and died before they could make it to Colchis.

When Phrixus landed on Colchis he met King Aetes, who allowed Phrixus to marry one of the kings daughters.

To show his gratitude, Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus. Then, Phrixus gave the fleece to King Aetes.

Story SummationIn the story of The Quest Of The Golden Fleece,

Jason goes on a Quest in order to obtain the Golden Fleece.

He does this as Pelias promised to Jason that if he could go and obtain this Golden Fleece he would become King.

The Argonauts went on this quest and faced many troubles, such as battling the Harpies, which are “frightful, flying creatures with hooked beaks and claws who always left behind them a loathsome stench, sickening to all living creatures.”

Then they finally landed on the island.Hera saw that they were all in danger and asked

Aphrodite to have her son, Eros, make the Kings daughter , Medea, to fall in love with Jason.

When Jason met with King Aetes the kind told him that the only way he would give him the Golden Fleece was if he could yoke two bulls, then plow the fields with these bulls. He was then supposed to plant the teeth of a dragon as if they were seeds “which would spring up at once into a crop of armed men. These must be cut down as they advanced to the attack-a fearful harvesting.” (171)

With the help of Medea, Jason was able to destroy the army, yoke the bulls, and plant the teeth of a dragon.

When the King would not give the Golden Fleece to Jason, even after completing this mission, Medea helped him to go and get the Golden Fleece behind the Kings back. She betrayed the king and her country in the process due to her deep love for Jason.

Medea also kills her own brother to protect the Argonauts. When they returned Jason found that both his parents had died due

to Pelias and in order to get revenge he had Medea trick Pelias’ daughters and they ended up chopping him up into little pieces.

Even after all of Medea’s help Jason betrayed her and married another woman.

In the end, Medea killed Jason’s new wife, her own sons, and then left on a chariot being pulled by dragons.

Lessons or Cultural Values in Story Many different people could get many different morals from this story, depending

on which point of view you look at, and which characters you look at. Also, you could say that the theme from Jason is to just never give up. Jason is

determined to get the Golden Fleece for his kingdom, because he knows that it's what’s right. That attribute should be admired in anyone.

For example, if you were to look at the story at an angle from Medea, it would be to not mess with unknown forces. Medea held this magic that no one knew to handle. Just because of this one woman and her love for Jason, many people died.

That itself could also be another moral or theme, displaying the powers of love. Medea did all of those crazy things, just because she fell in love. This theme even today could happen, considering all of the crazy things people would do for love.

 Today, we share some of the morals they had in ancient Greece, so its easy to reference them in learning lessons. Maybe if they did it first, then we wouldn't mess things up in our lives. But we end up messing things up anyways. Ironic, right? Well in Jason and the Argonauts, the only things that really connects to us today is the characteristic of determination, and the power of love.