Feminism in Antigone and Medea

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Feminism in Antigone and Medea

Feminism has always been an intense and debated subject. Many renowned authors have written works in favour of it. Two of them were Euripides and Anouilh, who depicted two strong women, Antigone and Medea. In spite of living in fifth century Greece where women had little or no rights at all, they defied men in power. By doing this they proved women’s equality to men. In this respect they were both feminists. Both plays show feministic traits and at the same time show anti-feministic ones. In this essay I will investigate these traits.

The main theme in Medea is feminism. Through the character of Medea, Euripides promotes his ideas on feminism to the traditional Greek society.

Medea is a strong willed woman. She will do anything to get her will and no man can stop her. When she still loved Jason she went as far as killing her own kin for him. When Jason later wants to get rid of her and Creon wants to expel her from the country, she does not let them treat her as a helpless puppy and defeat her. To avenge herself on Jason for betraying her after all she has done for him, and Creon for giving his daughter’s hand in marriage to Jason and wanting to expel Medea, she kills not only Creon and his daughter but also her own two sons, just to make Jason suffer even more.    

             She is constantly dominating her situation, using her cleverness and getting exactly what she wants. One example of this is when she says to Creon: “Allow me to remain here just for this one day, so I may consider where to live in my exile.” Thus she persuades him, by playing on his emotions and weaknesses, to let her stay in the country long enough to carry out her plans, although Creon hates her and wants her out of the country as soon as possible. Or when she makes Aegeus swear that he will give her exile. Another example of this is when she makes Jason believe she has no objections to his marriage with Creusa, in order to make Jason let her sons enter the palace to give the bride her present. Jason however is shown to hold almost no power at all throughout the play and cannot do anything to stop Medea from ruining his life and escaping unpunished.

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        In many ways Medea is masculine. She is fearless in opposing powerful men like Creon and her father.  She expresses that she wishes to be treated like a man when she says: “I would very much rather stand three times in front of a battle than bear one child.” This is also the case when she says “…Or sharpen a sword and thrust it to the heart” She is brutal and cold-hearted. It is not usual of a woman to kill her own brother and children.

        The chorus in Medea represents the women of the society. The chorus expresses Euripides’ feministic ...

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