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Literary Analysis Essay on Medea
Response to Prompt# 1
The ancient drama of Medea was written in a manner that it helps readers to figure out the position of women in ancient Athens. Undoubtedly, the character of Medea helps to determine the actual situation prevailed in Athens for the women. The content of the play referred to the true picture of the isolated social perspective for the women of Athens. It is revealed that women have no power in any form as they were immensely dominated by males. It is worthy to figure out the actual social scenario for the women through the play of Medea. It also assists to assess the character of Medea and how it differed from the conventional role of women in the society of Athens. Here the particular focus is to critically analyze the character of Medea to evaluate its difference with the other women of Athens at the time of unbalanced Greek society.
The character of Medea referred to as the lead role in the ancient Greek play presented by Euripides. Medea recognized as the daughter of King and the granddaughter of the sun god. The critical assessment of the character of Medea reveals that she was one power women that used her authority contrary to the traditional perspective of Athens. When she comes to realize that her husband betrayed her than it ultimately changed her approach of living. She turned to the revengeful personality that completely differed from the society of Athens. She immensely changed her perspective about the things and the belonging associated with her. This specific approach is better illustrated as: “this disaster made her realize: a fatherland is no small thing to lose, she hates her children, feels no joy in seeing them.”(Sappho, 529) The changing perspective of life turned her to seriously consider the aspect of revenge.
The aggressive and authoritative nature of Medea are the basic elements that help the audience to determine her different from the tradition Greek women. She ultimately chooses the option of revenge and planned to kill her husband that was greatly opposite from the expectations of the Greek society set for the women. She never encouraged the idea of dominating males through her behavior and actions. The anger expressed by the Medea explicitly revealed about her views about the unequal prospect of the society of Athens. She delivered her thoughts as: “of all the living creatures with a soul and mind, we women are the most pathetic. First of all, we have to buy a husband: spend vast amounts of money, just to get a master for our body-to to add insult to injury.” (Sappho, 534) She completely refused the oppressive position of women determined by the powerful entity of men of Greek.
It is crucial to mention that the character of Medea has a clear understanding about the repressive nature of the Athens society and its cruel dealings with the women. She clearly explained her thoughts of injustice and brutality against women considered by the male dominating society of Athens. She also explained about the approach of women when she fights for her survival in the battle against injustice and discrimination. She illustrated this certain opinion as: “most of the time, I know, a woman is filled with fear. She’s worthless in a battle and flinches at the sight of steel. But when she’s faced with injustice in the bedroom, there is no other mind more murderous.” (Sappho, 535) She explained her thoughts about the disloyalty and how adversely it damage the personality of the women.
To conclude the literary analysis of the character of Medea, it is substantial that Medea can refer as the representation of the rebellious form of women during the oppressive and unjust society of Athens. Her thoughts and actions indicate about her powerful nature that differentiates her from the other women of that particular time period.
Work Cited
Sappho,, and Mary Barnard. Sappho: A New Translation. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. Print.
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