Medea and the patriarchy
In Ancient Greece, most of the literature and writing were composed by elite, wealthy, and well-educated men. The play Medea, written by Euripides is no different than most of the plays of the time except for its subject matter. Medea is about Medea, a strong mother from a foreign land, who is cheated by her husband Jason. What is different about this play is that Medea does not act as a woman should according to the traditional customs of the time. Instead, Medea tries to break down the walls of injustice and point out the patriarchal society present, and the consequential oppression of women. Euripides empowers the women of Ancient Greece through the words and actions of Medea.
Euripides shows how women were perceived at the time, “We women—oh, I won’t say that we’re bad, but we are what we are. You shouldn’t sink down to our level, trading childish insults” (Medea 909-911). Women are considered child-like, and even the strong Medea expresses this when she pleads for Jason’s forgiveness after she insults Jason’s plan in marrying the royal princess. Euripides sheds more light onto the condition of women and the injustices and disadvantages that women face, this time, regarding marriage.
Of all the living creatures with a soul …show more content…
Medea essentially rejects the traditional role of women, that is to be bear and raise children while living passively in the house, and instead takes on a stronger personality. Later in the play, Jason says, “men should really have some other method for getting children. The whole female race should not exist. It’s nothing but a nuisance.” (Medea 593-595). These two passages give readers a glimpse of the role of women at the time and how the women were perceived. Women were important only for giving men children and not much
In Ancient Greece, most of the literature and writing were composed by elite, wealthy, and well-educated men. The play Medea, written by Euripides is no different than most of the plays of the time except for its subject matter. Medea is about Medea, a strong mother from a foreign land, who is cheated by her husband Jason. What is different about this play is that Medea does not act as a woman should according to the traditional customs of the time. Instead, Medea tries to break down the walls of injustice and point out the patriarchal society present, and the consequential oppression of women. Euripides empowers the women of Ancient Greece through the words and actions of Medea.
Euripides shows how women were perceived at the time, “We women—oh, I won’t say that we’re bad, but we are what we are. You shouldn’t sink down to our level, trading childish insults” (Medea 909-911). Women are considered child-like, and even the strong Medea expresses this when she pleads for Jason’s forgiveness after she insults Jason’s plan in marrying the royal princess. Euripides sheds more light onto the condition of women and the injustices and disadvantages that women face, this time, regarding marriage.
Of all the living creatures with a soul …show more content…
Medea essentially rejects the traditional role of women, that is to be bear and raise children while living passively in the house, and instead takes on a stronger personality. Later in the play, Jason says, “men should really have some other method for getting children. The whole female race should not exist. It’s nothing but a nuisance.” (Medea 593-595). These two passages give readers a glimpse of the role of women at the time and how the women were perceived. Women were important only for giving men children and not much