Essay, Research Paper
Clytaemnestra and Medea:
Two women seeking justice
Clytaemnestra and Medea are two women who are seeking justice for a wrong committed by their husbands. Clytaemnestra?s husband, Agamemnon, did not wrong here directly but rather indirectly. Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter Iphigeneia, in order to calm the Thracian winds. For Clytaemnestra this brought much hatred towards Agamemnon. Here Agamemnon had betrayed Clytaemnestra and their daughters trust, and for that she sought revenge. Medea?s husband, Jason, had dishonored her with his unfaithfulness. Medea sought to kill everything that was important in Jason?s life in order to seek justice. Clytaemnestra and Medea are similar but yet different in the ways that they define justice, setup up their victims, carry out the just sentence and in the end justify their actions.
Clytaemnestra feels the only justice for the death of her daughter, Iphigeneia, is the death of Agamemnon. ?Act for an act, wound for wound!? is the only justification that Clytaemnestra cans see (Agamemnon 1555). Medea also sees death as the only justification for her husbands? unfaithfulness. ?To stay here, and in this I will make dead bodies / Of three of my enemies, -father, the girl and my husband?(Medea 370-71). Medea says here that she wishes to kill Kreon, the father of the princess Jason will wed, the princess and Jason. Although she never kills Jason, she does successfully kill Kreon and the princess. Medea later says that she must also kill her children to cause Jason pain. In their defining justice Clytaemnestra and Medea both feel death is the only justice. However, with Medea she does not intend to kill Jason.
In order for Clytaemnestra to seek justice for her daughters? death, she had to make Agamemnon feel as though nothing was wrong. Clytaemnestra gives a big speech when Agamemnon arrives telling everybody how ?great the love she bore her husband, and the agonizing grief she had suffered in his absence?(Hamilton 253). She laid red tapestries for him to walk on, and made him feel as though he was worthy enough to walk on them. Like Clytaemnestra, Medea uses her words to make Kreon and Jason feel as though she is being sincere. Medea convinces Kreon to let her have another day before she is banished, by telling him that she needs to find a place to live and that she needs to ?look for support? for her children (Medea 337-339). Medea tells Jason that she is wrong for what she has said and that he is right for marrying a princess, because it will be better for their children (Medea 845-954). Clytaemnestra and Medea set their victims up by making them feel as though nothing is wrong.
Clytaemnestra decides the way to kill Agamemnon is while he is bathing, there he is defenseless. Clytaemnestra carries out the sentence that she sees just by slashing Agamemnon with a sword three times. Then she kills Cassandra, Agamemnon?s concubine he received for defeating Troy, whom she sees as a nuisance if left alive. Medea, on the other hand does not use brute force at first to kill like Clytaemnestra, instead she uses what she knows best, poison. Medea sends the children with Jason bearing gifts for the princess. These gifts consist of a dress and golden crown laced with poison, which will kill anyone who comes in contact with it. The princess and Kreon both die as a result of the poison laden gifts. When Medea finds out that the gifts killed the princess and Kreon she now uses brute force like Clytaemnestra, by turning the sword on her children. Clytaemnestra is not as cruel as is Medea. Clytaemnestra could have killed her son for whom she saw as a threat, but chose not to because she loved her children so much (Hamilton 257). Could Clytaemnestra have caused the pain on Jason with out killing her children?
Clytaemnestra and Medea have two different approaches to justifying their actions. Clytaemnestra ?? saw no reason to explain her act or excuse it. She was not a murderer in her own eyes, she was an executioner. She has punished a murderer, a murderer of his own child, ? he murdered for the Thracian winds, she feels it needs no explanation (Hamilton 255). She feels it is an ?Act for act, wound for wound? (Agamemnon 1555), therefore it is just. In Euripides? Medea the chorus does not find fault with Medea for punishing Jason for what he had done. But they do find fault with her killing her children, they see no justification in it. As for Medea, she believes it must be done for two reasons. First, the children?s fate was sealed when they delivered the gifts to the princess. It is possible that repercussions could have been brought against the children, either by death or being outcasts for their involvement. Second, and most importantly, the sheer fact of causing Jason pain.
It is not Agamemnon?s unfaithfulness that has spawned Clytaemnestra?s hatred for her husband, but rather ?a mothers love for a daughter, and a wife?s determination to avenge that death by killing her husband? (Hamilton 252). Clytaemnestra and Medea both feel that death is the only justifiable action for what their husbands have done. The difference is that Medea does not kill her husband, instead wants him to feel the pain of the death that surrounds him. Both Clytaemnestra and Medea use words to set up their victims but they do not carry out the sentences entirely in the same way. Clytaemnestra mostly uses brute force where Medea uses her knowledge of poison to do the major damage. In the end though, Medea does use brute force to kill her children. One thing is left to question, could Medea have brought this pain to Jason without killing her children? I do not believe so. Jason, seems to be most troubled by the death of his children than he does of either Kreon or the princess? death.
Works Cited
Aeschylus. The Oresteia. Agamemnon. Trans. Robert Fagles. Lawall 1: 521- 566.
Euripides. Medea. Trans. Rex Warner. Lawall 1: 642 ? 672.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heros. New York: Warner Books, 1969.
Lawall, Sarah and others, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 7th ed. 2 vols. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1999.
Другие работы по теме:
The Ultimate Revenge From Medea Essay Research
Paper The Ultimate Revenge In ancient Greek times, it is alright if a man wants revenge on another man for hurting him or his loved ones. The man who causes the other man s misery is partially responsible for the another man s actions. In the play Medea, Medea kills Kroen s daughter and her children to get revenge on Jason for leaving her for Kroen s daughter.
Medea Essay Research Paper Meadea
Medea Essay, Research Paper Meadea’s search for revenge commences after her husband, the famous greek hero Jason, leaves her for the power & prestige of the daughter of the ing of Corinth. Meadea becomes distraught over the news, especially sfter she reflects upon all what she destroyed for Jason. She felt lonely with no family, friends, or even land.
Medea As A Heroine Essay Research Paper
In Euripides’ Medea, the main character of the same name is a controversial heroine. Medea takes whatever steps necessary to achieve what she believes is right and fair. She lived in a time when women were expected to sit in the shadows and take the hand that life dealt them without a blink of their eye. Medea took very radical steps to liberate herself and destroys the life of the man who ruined hers.
Euripides Master How Well You Knew Women
! Essay, Research Paper In this paper I will demonstrate why I believe, contrary to widespread opinion and possible even his own, that Aristophanes, not Euripides, was, of the four major dramatists fo Athens’ Golden Age, the one who least respected women.
Medea The Innocent Essay Research Paper The
Medea The Innocent Essay, Research Paper The tragic tale, Medea, by Euripdes proposes a certain question which creats speculism. Wether or not Medea is the villan, or is she a product of her environment, is frequently crictly analyzed. Medea, in the tale, committs a series of evil actions against the people which betrayed her.
Medea Essay Research Paper Stephen EkstromIn ancient
Medea Essay, Research Paper Stephen Ekstrom In ancient Greece women were viewed as many things. They were not viewed as equivalent to males by any means. Women were portrayed usually as submissive domestic, and controlled. They played supporting or secondary roles in life to men, who tended to be demanding of their wives, but expected them to adhere to their wishes.
Medea 2
Medea – An Abandonment Of Gender Roles Essay, Research Paper In Euripides? Medea, the protagonist abandoned the gender roles of ancient Greek society. Medea defied perceptions of gender by exhibiting both “male” and “female” tendencies. She was able to detach herself from her “womanly” emotions at times and perform acts that society did not see women capable of doing.
Medea Essay Research Paper Love Will Make
Medea Essay, Research Paper Love Will Make You Do Some CRAZY Things! Medea?s character in modern society would be portrayed as a psycho BITCH, but yet she would be applauded for her strong will. We can compare Medea to Loraine Bobbit, the woman who cut off her husbands? penis a few years ago. In some people eyes these women are considered to be crazy.
Medea Essay Research Paper Brandi ChildsDr FitchFeb
Medea Essay, Research Paper Brandi Childs Dr. Fitch Feb. 14 2001 World Literature I Jason In Jason?s speech to Medea, he blames the love goddess for his entire problem. He says that Cypris is responsible for everything. He also tells Medea that she has taken more than she has given. He compliments her on her cleverness but he also brings her faults to her attention. ?… I can prove you have certainly got from me more that you gave?(ll.524).
Themes In Medea Essay Research Paper Essential
Themes In Medea Essay, Research Paper Essential Facts Themes of the Play 1. Why does Medea kill her children: 1. Jason has betrayed her 2. Vengeance: to leave him childless in old age
Medea By Euripides Essay Research Paper Through
Medea By Euripides Essay, Research Paper Through the play Medea, Euripides shows us the importance of keeping a promise given. At the beginning of the story, we see the play?s two opposing views of
Euripides Medea Essay Research Paper MedeaThe Greek
Euripides? Medea Essay, Research Paper Medea The Greek tragedy Medea is a tale of a woman scorn and the wrath that follows. The story is one of outright deceit, crippling revenge and questionable justice. It is typical of Greek tragedies in its simplicity, but atypical in the way it justifies horrific revenge.
Sophocles Vs Euripides Essay Research Paper While
Sophocles Vs. Euripides Essay, Research Paper While both Sophocles and Euripides are considered writers of Greek tragedy, their plays (Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Medea) have some subtle and some profound differences. In both Antigone and Oedipus Rex, the ?tragic heroes? suffer from a major character flaw- hubris.
Medea 2 Essay Research Paper In the
Medea 2 Essay, Research Paper In the play Medea there were two main characters Medea and Jason. We have seen these characters before in the story of The Golden Fleece. Medea met Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece. They immediately fell in deep passionate love for each other. Although Medea had a little help because she was under a love spell put on her by cupid.
Medea Pursuasive Essay Essay Research Paper Medea
Medea Pursuasive Essay Essay, Research Paper Medea Pursuasive Essay I am here today, to show you that the prisoner Medea, who now stands before you, is guilty of the crimes she has been accused of. These crimes didn’t serve a purpose; they only satisfied the burning rage in her heart. So, now I call upon you, men of Corinth.
Medea Essay Research Paper Love and Deception
Medea Essay, Research Paper Love and Deception There are many pieces of literature that may entail more than one theme throughout the story. The tragedy, Medea, by Euripides is very good example of this. Throughout this story, the themes of betrayal and love, revenge, and women s rights arise. Euripides brings these points up to help the reader to realize that women are powerful also.
Medea Vs Lysistrata Essay Research Paper Medea
Medea Vs. Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Medea vs. Lysistrata ? Contrasting two strong Greek females Both Medea by Euripides and Lysistrata by Aristophanes illustrate the injustices that women suffered. Each author uses strong-willed characters to protest social situations.
A Friendly Enemy Essay Research Paper A
A Friendly Enemy Essay, Research Paper A Friendly Enemy “Death is my wish for myself, my enemies, my children” (Euripedes translated by Robinson Jeffers, Medea 11). Medea is hungry for death. She wants to taste it on her lips and wishes others to do the same. The value which Medea gives death is to use it as a weapon against her enemies.
Medea And Jason Essay Research Paper Much
Medea And Jason Essay, Research Paper Much of what has been written on slavery in Euripides has to do with the captive women taken in the Trojan War. But even ordinary household slaves like Medea’s Nurse may ‘betray characteristics of the free which the free themselves do not possess’ (N. T. Croally, Euripidean Polemic, Cambridge, 1994:102-3) and in this way cast some light on the status of their masters and what the slave/free definition means in the play and in a wider context.
Medea Essay Research Paper Revenge
Medea Essay, Research Paper Revenge A Cause for Murder? Is revenge a reasonable cause for murder? Medea gives her whole soul and life to the devotion of the man she loves so dearly only to be betrayed by him. Come, flame of the sky, Pierce through my head! What do I gain from living any longer? Oh, how I hate living! I want to end my life, leave it behind, and die.
Medea Essay Research Paper The play Medea
Medea Essay, Research Paper The play Medea is, quite frankly, the story of a relationship gone very bad. So bad, in fact, that it ends in a quadruple homicide. Where Jason is the abusive boyfriend to Medea, Medea is the woman Scorned to Jason. This play is a fine example of what NOT to do in a relationship. But for all the wrongs that both Jason and Medea commit throughout the play, Medea is by far the character that wreaks the most havoc upon anyone unlucky enough to be in her path at the wrong time.
Medea Essay Research Paper Medea Medea is
Medea Essay, Research Paper Medea Medea is a Greek tragedy which was written in 431 BC by the Greek philosopher Euripides. The story of Medea is one filled with anger, jealousy, and death. The main character, Medea, has to overcome the personal heartache of seeing her husband, Jason, marry another woman. The ensuing struggle she has with this notion is the focus of this play.
Medea Essay Research Paper In Medea a
Medea Essay, Research Paper In Medea, a play by Euripides, Jason possesses many traits that lead to his downfall. After Medea assists Jason in his quest to get the Golden Fleece, killing her brother and disgracing her father and her native land in the process, Jason finds a new bride despite swearing an oath of fidelity to Medea.
EuripideS Medea Essay Research Paper EuripidesMedeaI see
Euripide`S Medea Essay, Research Paper Euripides Medea I see Medea as a woman who took a chance and stood up for herself. The kind of behavior that Medea displays was very rare for these times: she doesn’t accept the dramatic change in her life; she does something about it. On the other hand, Medea becomes so obsessed she loses herself to revenge.
Agamemnon Essay Research Paper In Agamemnon
Agamemnon Essay, Research Paper In Agamemnon by Aeschylus, Clytaemnestra is the character with the majority of the power because of her ability to manipulate the other characters. She is not influenced or swayed by Aegisthus to murder her husband. She kills to gain justice for her daughter s death, as she feels their law justifies her acts.
Medea By Euripides Essay Research Paper MEDEAEuripides
Medea By Euripides Essay, Research Paper MEDEA Euripides was intrigued by the old Greek myths that surrounded him. Some writers 1 feel that he represented a critical, sceptical mind at work on these myths, being more interested in individual psychology and removed from the ritual origins of drama. Considered to be third in time of the three great tragic poets of Greek theatre, his reputation grew even after his death in 406 B.C.
Medea Essay Research Paper Medea
Medea Essay, Research Paper Medea’s plan is to kill Jason’s new bride and his two children she had bore for him and then flee for Athens. The chorus tries to console Medea and tell her not to do such horrid things to other people particularly her children. Medea ignores their request and is stuck with the decision of whether or not to kill her children.
Medea And The Chorus Essay Research Paper
Medea and the Chorus The exchange that takes place between Medea and the Chorus serves several purposes in Euripides’ tragedy, The Medea. It allows us to sympathize with Medea in spite of her tragic flaws. It also foreshadows the tragic events that will come to pass. Finally, it contrasts rationality against vengeance and excess.
Tug Of War Essay Research Paper Erin
Tug Of War Essay, Research Paper Erin Gardner 465-53-1399 A Tug of War If the two women of Agamemnon, Clytaemnestra and Cassandra, were put to the test of Tug of War, would there be a winner or would neither win? A game of Tug of war meaning, a pull from each side of the rope until one side with out a doubt crosses a drawn line.
The Role Of Women In Medea Essay
, Research Paper Medea is the tragic tale of a woman scorned. It was written in 431 B.C. by the Greek playwright, Euripides. Eruipides was the first Greek poet to suffer the fate of so many of the great
Medea Essay Research Paper Medeaby EuripidesMedea
Medea Essay, Research Paper Medea by Euripides Medea, explores the Greek-barbarian dichotomy through the character of Medea, a princess from the “barbarian”, land of Colchis. Throughout the book, it becomes evident to the reader that Medea is no ordinary woman by Greek standards. Central to the whole plot is Medea’s barbarian origins and how they are related to her actions.
Feminism In Medea Essay Research Paper Feminism
Feminism In Medea Essay, Research Paper Feminism in Medea The play Medea by Euripides challenges the dominant views of femininity in the patriarchal society of the Greeks. While pursuing her ambition Medea disregards many of the feminine stereotypes/ characteristics of the patriarchal Greek society.
Medea Discuss The Role Of The Chorus
Essay, Research Paper ?Discuss the importance of the role that the Chorus plays in Euripedes? Medea.? The Chorus is very much an important part of Euripedes? Medea, and indeed many other works written in the ancient Greek style. In this play, it follows the journey Medea makes, and not only narrates, but commentates on what is happening.