"This wrath new-born
Shall make mad workings ere it die.
..."See in text(The Medea)
Notice that the nurse characterizes Medea’s rage as a “new-born;” Medea’s murderous revenge is a personified separate entity from the sorceress, as if it were her child. The term “new-born” also means new infant. In this way, Medea’s rage supplants her actual children. The nurse predicts that this rage will cause disaster before it disappears and once again foreshadows that the story will have a tragic ending.
"Yester night I saw a flame
Stand in her eye, as though she hated them,
And would I know not what...."See in text(The Medea)
The nurse once again expresses her concern for Medea’s relationship with her children. She is concerned that Medea is beginning to hate her children because of Jason’s sins. This is a moment of foreshadowing that these children will not “end happily” as the nurse hopes.
"'Tis a fell spirit. Few, I ween, shall stir
Her hate unscathed, or lightly humble her...."See in text(The Medea)
The nurse introduces the main conflict of the play. Medea has a “fell spirit” meaning her spirit is terrible, evil, or ferociously deadly. The nurse speculates on whether or not Medea will kill herself or kill Jason and Glauce. Notice that the nurse draws attention to Medea’s children and her changing attitude towards them. The nurse worries what this change will mean for their safety and foreshadows the end of the play.
