In society, men and women are defined by gender roles throughout their activities and occupations. A doctor is typically portrayed as a man while most women are associated with the household and children. Although still in existence, today these roles are less defined but tend to have similar essence when compared to the past. In today’s society, females work, take part in the government and have a say in public and private decisions. Compared to ancient Greece, women suffered great tribulations and these current activities are unimaginable for a woman under the complete supervision of a male husband. In the play Medea by Euripides, the main characters Jason and Medea are atypical characters in many ways. Medea defies perceptions of the normal attitudes of men and women by overcoming her female emotions and performed acts that the Greeks considered unfeminine.
Really? Is all I can say to you how can you live with the knowledge of knowing your children breath no more because of your hatred for their father. Medea a true woman moves on with what they have left and makes the person regret what they have done to
I believe that when examining the way characters argue, that the genre does affect the topic. In Lysias 12, Lysias uses stories and vivid language, also known as pathos, to give the details of certain events concerning the reputation of Eratosthenes to the jury. In Agamemnon, Aeschylus uses pathos when Cassandra tells the story of the prophecy she had, describing how a woman would kill her and Agamemnon. Lysias uses his ethical appeal, or ethos, to explain how he and his family are very credible and good citizens, especially when compared to Eratosthenes. Aeschylus uses ethos when Agamemnon explains to the people that he will not walk on the purple carpet stating that, “Such state becomes the gods, and none beside. / I am a mortal, a man; I cannot trample upon / these tinted splendors without fear thrown in my path" (922-924). Lysias uses logos to structure his speech well, as well as using witnesses as credible sources and comparisons of the actions of Eratosthenes. Aeschylus uses logos when Clytemnestra argues that the men that would rise up against her after killing Agamemnon and Cassandra, did not rise up when her daughter, Iphigenia, was sacrificed. The genre of Agamemnon and Lysias 12, effects
Upon first reading this play, emotions of anger, disappointment, and relief swirled to the surface. The fact that Medea was to escape without any consequences angered me so much, but as I thought about it more, my emotions began to shift. It wasn’t as if Medea murdering her children was something she wanted to do. She had to have gone through so much to push her to that point. How can I better justify her actions and relate it to a 21st century audience?
Euripides’ Medea, is a play that follows the journey of a young woman seeking vengeance against her husband, well now ex-husband. The steps she takes to get her revenge make Medea seem like a monster. However, her actions and the torments she has endured make it appear as though she may suffer from a mental illness. So the question is, does Medea have some form of mental illness, or was she just enraged by the injustices committed by her “loving” husband? Evidence leans more toward her being mentally unfit than her being a murderer.
In Antigone and Medea , the women are ruled by their emotions. Due to this, they make impromptu decisions which leave them in a vulnerable state. Medea feels betrayed by Jason, and her heartbroken hearts fills with rage for him. She becomes so irate she makes an deathly decision, “oh, what misery! Cursed sons, and a mother for cursing! Death take you all – you and your father” (Euripides 20). Her irrational decision is caused by the misery she is in, and it overrules her rational thinking. The threatening tone she gives her children helps illustrate the fact that she plans to have death take her children & Jason, due to Jason’s betrayal to her. Even her children are endangered due to her irate state of mind. Furthermore, this connects to
Through the epilogue described by the nurse, the audience is positioned to understand medea's desire for revenge. The audience may have viewed her position of being betrayed by Jason to be devastating( insert quote instead of devastating) and hold sympathy for her as she is not only an outsider from
Rhetoric is an incredibly powerful tool capable of seducing even the most obdurate of people. As one of the most illustrious playwrights ever, Shakespeare was no stranger to the power of rhetoric. Rhetoric served as the fountainhead of Shakespearian allure. We watch the dramatic works of Shakespeare because we enjoy having our emotions manipulated; we enjoy the catharsis and self-reflection that accompanies a trip to the theater. Shakespeare truly was a master manipulator, but his manipulation was generally beneficial. While Shakespeare uses rhetoric to create art, Iago uses it to cause destruction and pain. Shakespeare’s Othello can be used as a means of exploring the dangerous power of rhetoric and gaining insight into the ethical role it
This encounter takes place earlier in the play, right after Iago and Roderigo have convinced Brabantio into believing the scandalous and provocative gossip they have fed him. Othello speaks these words in an attempt to placate Brabantio, who has just stormed into the Duke’s council, agitated by Iago’s claims concerning his daughter. Additionally, his monologue is addressed to everyone present in the chamber so that he may prove his innocence more widely. He confirms that he has married Desdemona, but denies the allegations that he has won her through trickery and that this is the extent of his “crime.” Othello goes on to explain that he won Desdemona’s love through stories of his seven years at battle, but will nevertheless tell the tale of these stories.
In response to Medea, I feel nothing but sadness for her life and what prolonged her to tormenting herself. However, with the way Medea chose to handle that grief into revenge is something I don’t agree with and didn’t feel like that alone justified her actions.These cruel acts of fate
like he ruined her life. I enjoyed that from the book because it showed Medea’s persistence to get her goal done no matter the people that have to die to get it done. The lesson I learned from this story is that many people will do anything to get revenge
Medea was treated unfairly in the patriarchal society that she lived in and due to the circumstances she was forced to abide by, she sought to achieve her own form of justice. Women were mistreated and regarded as inferior to men. In fact, Medea mentioned how women were like foreigners forced to abide by their husband’s laws and remain subservient. Essentially, women were treated as outsiders and were thought to need constant protection from male figures. So, when the King of Corinth kicked her and her children out of Corinth and Jason left them, she wanted revenge since she felt she had been wronged. Thus, she formulated a systematic plan to achieve her agenda and to rectify the injustice that had occurred. Essentially, the King of Corinth
“Surely, of all creatures that have life and will, we women/ Are the most wretched” (Euripides 229-230).
Euripides created an unusual art work that left people mouth-opened. It was criticized and dissed during its time since the audience witnessed a very odd ending. The fact that Medea was really clever and powerful made it different as well. During those times, women had no role in the society. Women were just supposed to serve their husbands and take good care of the children. Euripides created a modern day woman who seeks justice and revenge with her cleverness and power. Medea acted as a feminine heroine who established that women can also be as strong as men.
“Let death destroy Jason and Jason’s children! Let the whole ancestry of Jason be destroyed!” (Fredrick, 2015 , p. 18)