Ancient Greek Medea In 2019 On Halloween In New Orleans,Louisianna

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Ancient Greek Medea in 2019 on Halloween in New Orleans, Louisiana

Introduction

‘Medea’ is a story of love, betrayal, oppression, rebellion, and revenge experienced by a woman of strong emotions. She loves her husband body and soul, but cannot get the same in response. Despite being considered wise in her society, she is compelled to do much unexpected things that position her as a negative character at the end of the story. She shocks the readers with her unimaginable acts, and leaves an impact of uncertainty on even the most sacred and trusted relationships among human beings. ‘Medea’ is an undaunted initiative by the writer against the literary traditions of that time, presenting an unpredictable protagonist who commits the unwanted crimes just out of rage, jealousy, and revengefulness.

Discussion

Medea is the wife of Jason, and she has left her homeland to marry him. She has been presented in the story as a disturbed woman who is heart-broken due to his husband’s betrayal. She has two sons with Jason when he gets inclined to another woman, Glauce. Jason is on the verge of marrying Glauce who is the daughter of the ruler of Corinth. Jason is aware of the mental and psychological condition of her wife. Cleon, the father of Glauce, doubts Medea that she may harm her daughter. Therefore, he wants to banish her for good. However, she requests for relief and is granted a one-day stay in the kingdom. She later has a dialogue with her husband and reminds her of whatever she has done for him. Jason assures her that he opted for marrying Creon’s daughter only for the sake of power and that he is not in love with her. Jason offers her gifts but she refuses to take them. Aegeus is the ruler of Athens. He visits Corinth and assures Medea that she will be safe in Athens. Medea, exploding in passion and revenge, kills Creon’s daughter secretly (Mastronarde). When Glauce tries to put on the gifts given by Medea, she catches fire and she reduces to ashes immediately. Her father, Creon, also dies in an attempt to save Glauce. Medea takes her children to the residence, and kills them. Later, she flees to Athens and starts a new life. Jason has her vision to be riding in the chariot of the sun where she curses him to have an evil fate, as he was the reason behind her dark crimes.

The story is a revolutionary piece of art in the ancient Greek literature. It shocked all readers of the story as well as the viewers of its theatrical rendering. Euripides, the writer of the story, has tried to present the worst consequences of suppressing women and depriving them of their basic human rights. The writer also wants to show how far a person can go to get his or her catharsis done if subjected to social injustice or emotional torture. People should not take the play as a rhetoric, instead it is based on possible outcomes of the acts of injustice prevailing ubiquitously in societies. Medea suffers the hardships of exile, hatred of people, and loss of her family only because of the selfishness of her husband. The story asserts that gods are also in favor of Medea because her actions are doomed to be a justice done by her on behalf of nature.

Conclusion

The story details the emotional and psychological sufferings of the protagonist. She endures a lot in the form of betrayal, loss of family, and exile out of all people’s hatred. She is wrong based on moral principles. However, she is supported by the laws of nature, which “give the devil his due” mercilessly.

Works Cited

Mastronarde, Donald J. Euripides: Medea. Cambridge University Press, 2002.