Medea Essays

Medea as an Aristotelian Tragedy

In Euripides' play, Medea, the title character progresses from distraught and slighted wife to inhuman Fury, the slayer of her own sons and the cause of her husband Jason’s downfall. Euripides delivers a woman’s existence filled with great passion, betrayal, disappointment and tragedy, and while...

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Narcissistic Self-Defense in Medea and Beloved

Toni Morrison’s novels are, to a great extent, susceptible to an archetypal interpretation. Thus, Beloved has been considered, by the critical opinion, as having its roots in the myth of Medea which forms the subject of Euripides’ ancient tragedy. The story told by Morrison’s novel is the...

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Medea: Looking for Revenge

Medea: Looking for Revenge Medea, a play by the Greek playwright Euripides, explores the Greek- barbarian dichotomy through the character of Medea, a princess from the "barbarian", or non-Greek, land of Colchis. Throughout the play, it becomes evident to the reader that Medea is no ordinary woman...

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Medea by Euripides

“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...

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The Role of Women in Medea

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 modern writers: rejected by most of his contemporaries (he rarely won first prize and was the favorite target...

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The Sanctity of Oaths in Medea

Medea The Sanctity of Oaths 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 promise keeping represented by the Nurse and the Tutor. As she stands outside of Medea’s house and...

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On Revenge and Medea

Revenge and vengeance are basic tools of human instinct. Whether society chooses to accept or blind itself to this fact, it is an indisputable truth. Francis Bacon examines this truth in "Of Revenge", a view of society and literary characters that reflects the strive for vengeance. However, "Of...

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Medea: Jason Brings His Own Downfall

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...

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Medea - the Abandonment of Gender Roles

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...

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Medea - Techniques

In the play Medea, by Euripides, many techniques are incorporated to augment the compelling persona of the protagonist, Medea. She has an overpowering presence, which is fashioned through the use of imagery, offstage action and language. Dramatic suspense, employment of the chorus and Deus Ex...

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Medea: Discuss the Role of the Chorus

"Discuss the importance of the role that the Chorus plays in Euripedes' Medea. " <br> <br>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...

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Medea and Mother Courage

Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Emile Zola's Therese Raquin are both works with characters that possess maternal instinct. There is not a definite explanation for maternal instinct because it can be viewed differently. Although this is true, there is often a stereotype woman with the ? right'...

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Plato & Medea

A&H Paper Number 1 Todd MacDowell September 26, 1999 Prof. Waite 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...

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Greek Mythology and Medea

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...

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Chorus Role in Medea

The Chorus influences our response to Medea and her actions in both a positive and negative manner. The Chorus, a body of approximately fifteen Corinthian women who associate the audience with the actors, is able to persuade and govern us indirectly through sympathy for what has been done to Medea...

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Gender Roles in Lysistrata and Medea

Between 500 and 400 BC, Athens was shining light of civilization, brightening the dark world around it. Yet in this glimmering metropolis of democracy and reason, an indelible line divided the men from the women and the Athenian citizens for non-citizens. Only male citizens were able to take part...

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Medea

Medea While not everyone will immediately admit it, revenge is sweet. Something from within seems to deem the concept of getting even acceptable, maybe even necessary. While this holds true in many cases, sometimes revenge can be taken to an evil extreme. In Medea, a play written by Euripides, a...

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Marriage and Revenge Cost Medea

Medea from Euripides' Medea is the main character. She is the Princess of Colchis and a sorceress. She was married to Jason until he decided to leave her for another woman. Jason and Medea had two sons. As the play progresses, Medea's character comes to life. The physical characteristics that...

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Femininity in Euripides’ ‘Medea’ and Jean Rhys’ ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’.

Historically females have been portrayed as being weak and submissive, obeying their male counterparts (fathers/husbands etc) and staying in the background looking after the home and the children. To be freethinking was unheard of; all decisions were made by the male which the female had to comply...

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Medea and Democracy

Democracy: Has it Always Been Focused on Equality? How does the society that gave us the democratic government of equality for all show such discrimination? Athenian government in ancient Greece was an incomplete democracy that has developed over time. The Treatment of women and foreigners in...

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