Medea killing her children - Poussin

The scene takes place in Corinth, in the king's palace. In despair at the betrayal of Jason, for whom she had abandoned everything in Colchis, Medea kills the children she had by him. On the staircase, Jason and Creusa, who is to become his wife, show their panic. In the background, the statue of Athena holding the Gorgon-headed shield veils her face in horror. Poussin dramatically condenses the events. Jason and Creusa arrive just as Medea is killing her children. Medea is on stage, she is the protagonist. Helpless Jason cannot reach her from the palace terrace overlooking the stage; he is prevented from doing so by the balustrade that separates the two spaces of the performance, the restricted space of the crime scene, and the vague space of the helpless spectators. Symbolically, Jason is on top: by marrying Creusa, he becomes king of Corinth, he has power. But theatrically, Jason is outside: it's Medea who occupies the stage and carries out the murder. 

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