"Medea" by Euripides. Discuss whether the play is underpinned by a feminist or misogynistic theme

Discuss whether the play is underpinned by a feminist or misogynistic theme In the play Medea, Euripides recognises the lack of gender equality of his time and comments on the patrichial nature of ancient Greek society. A feminist theme resonates in the play and has been developed through the characterisation of Medea and Jason. Medea, the female protagonist, is portrayed as powerful figure. Medea is spurned and aggrieved by a man but instead of accepting the situation submissively as she would have been expected to do, she asserts her own power. Furthermore, when King Creon decides to banish her, she doesn't hesitate to argue persuasively on her own behalf despite his position of power. She naturally assumes that she has the right to speak as a man might do. Medea recognizes the oppression of women in her society when she declares "we women are the sorriest lot: first we must at great expenditure of money but a husband and even take on a master of our body". However, Medea herself denounces women by admitting that they were born 'useless for honest purposes' suggesting that woman's skills lie solely in the ability to exert their will by deceit and manipulation. Her deceptive nature is evident in the nature of the murder of Glauce by giving gifts laced with poison. Medea argues that although women have a deserved reputation for treachery, they only do so as the

  • Word count: 491
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How Does Medea's Personality Shift During the Play ?

How Does Medea's Personality Shift or Change During the Play? In the play Medea, the mythical Greek hero , Jason abandons his wife Medea and prepares to marry Princess Glauce of Corinth to secure a throne and the power and wealth of the kingdom. These events trigger various transformations in Medea's character and emotional state; from suicidal despair at the beginning of the play, to apprehension and indecision when first faced with killing her children and finally to remorseless fury which leads her to undertake unnatural means to achieve her revenge. The play immediately introduces us to Medea's total despair after being abandoned by Jason, giving the audience new insight into how Medea's intense emotional pain turns her against those who inflict it (Jason) and all of his emotional attachments (Glauce and his children.) Early in the play, Medea demands "What use is life to me?" (line 96), showing her sadness and helplessness in the wake of her abandonment by Jason. With this line Euripedes implores the audience to sympathize with Medea who appears to be victimized by Jason's callous behavior. Medea's conflicting impulses about killing her children are revealed in her monologue in lines 1018-1080. In line 1057 she exposes her desire to spare her children saying "Let them alone, you miserable woman, spare your children". However despite her initial apprehension to the

  • Word count: 420
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Medea's murder of her children means that she cannot be regarded as a tragic hero.To what extent do you agree that Europidies's presentation of Medea in the exodos agrees with this view.

'Unclean, abhorrent child - destroyer.' Medea's murder of her children means she cannot be regarded as a true tragic hero. To what extent do you agree with this in view of Euripides's presentations of Medea in the exodos? The image of Medea presented by Euripides in the exodos is undoubtedly largely horrifying and appalling to the audience. Medea manifestly presents her desire for revenge and it is difficult to sympathise with her character. However, in many respects her character fits the image of a tragic hero. Although, it is widely controversial to associate Medea with heroic aspects in modern days, from an ancient Greek's perspective her actions and personality might well match aspects of the tragic hero such as consistency, appropriation, noble state, and tragic flaw. This essay will explore whether her presentation in the exodos as well as her actions in other circumstances justify her tragic hero status. First of all, Medea has always enjoyed a good reputation and high-rank in society. Her heroic identity symbolises the fact that she is a grand- daughter of the Sun. Moreover, Medea was a princess of Colchis and displayed a vast knowledge of enchantments and medicine. When Jason abandons her in a foreign land she becomes a 'stateless refugee' and her pride suffers. It has also been stated by the Chorus in the play: 'Of all pains and hardships none is worse Than to

  • Word count: 1853
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Do you think murmurin judges is a hopless play?

Do you think that Murmuring Judges is a hopeless play? David Hares aim to paint a portrait on some of the chronic wrongs within the dysfunctional, corrupt Justice system has definitely shown. As throughout this play we start to come to realise critical issues, and situations that often occur in real life such a prejudice, racism, sexism and stereotypes. However the ending of the play gives us a blurry light at the tunnel because although Sandra gives us a glimpse of hope as she says, 'I want the chief Superintendant. I wonder. Could I have a word?', some people would have predicted the ending to of had a larger impact of justice. This can be distressing and slightly worrying as it causes the reader to feel unsafe as we have to rely on the odd moral characters such as Irina, and Sandra. If Hares intensions were to reveal what goes on in the system, then he definitely portrayed that, but if his intentions were to reassure the audience that there is always hope then he didn't for fill that as it only made us feel worse. Hare also underlines the issues that the system were facing in England in the 8o's and early 90's such as the increased levels of immigration and terror of the (IRA), and highlights the prejudge situations against the Irish within the system. Such as when Barry's showing a slight hatred towards the Irish which he says to Sandra, 'He was kind of Irish as

  • Word count: 613
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Hiding Villains: Who is to Blame for Tragedy in the Oedipus Cycle

Hiding Villains: Who is to Blame for Tragedy in the Oedipus Cycle The Oedipus Cycle tells the legend of cruel destinies destroying three generations of a single family. Often the consequences of his unconscious actions are blamed on Oedipus but the real fault lies with others. The characters that seem of the least importance in the play are the propelling forces behind the entire plot and tragedy. Laius, the chorus, and Fate are entirely responsible for the misfortune and downfall of Oedipus and his relations. The tragedy of Oedipus was a destiny cruelly allocated to a man before his birth. The newborn Oedipus was destined to murder his father and marry his mother. The ancient Greeks deeply believed in prophecy and fate, as shown by Laius' attempt to have his son murdered. Although Laius acted to change this fate, his unsuccessful attempt left him to blame for his son's misfortune. Laius should have killed the child himself; it is the only way for him to ensure that his own fate is secure. Either, Laius' own weakness for his child or his fear that interaction with baby Oedipus would cause his death created an opportunity for Fate to fulfill its prophecy. When Laius decided the herdsman should murder his son, he should have informed the man of the reasons death was required. The herdsman, who took pity on the poor infant Oedipus, was obviously never informed of the

  • Word count: 1089
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Throughout the play Arcadia by Tom Stoppard there is a distinct difference between the characters who have a science background and those who do not.

Throughout the play Arcadia by Tom Stoppard there is a distinct difference between the characters who have a science background and those who do not. One of the recurring themes is that those characters and actions of those characters which are against science often lead to conflict and disaster. Even those characters that are of logical thinking for the most part are prone to disaster when they let go of this rational thinking and give in to their irrational side. Bernard is a main character who is not a scientist and has basically no scientific background. From the moment he is introduced, he is portrayed as eccentric and odd. Here Bernard is described for the first time: "Bernard, the visitor, wears a suit and tie. His tendency is to dress flamboyantly but he has damped it down for the occasion, slightly. A peacock-coloured display handkerchief boils over is his breast pocket." (73) The term flamboyant refers to his ornate and rather bold outfit and personality. He is dressed differently than most other characters and behaves much different as well. He is as well one of the most irrational characters of the play. Bernard and his constant need to be successful and famous lead him to disaster. Throughout the play he acts with little regard to the truth. He rarely looks to proof when coming up with ideas and theories. He feels that if there is the slightest proof that he is

  • Word count: 1433
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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god's lift is out of order

God's Lift is Out of Order. Why would a person want to die? Why would a person want to loose the rare human life? I think that people who kill themselves view it as a way to solve their problems. These people think that their lives are so terrible that there is no going on. However, these people don't realize that there is always a better way out, that all problems can somehow be solved if they just try hard enough. I have read the short "God's Lift is Out of Order" which is giving an example of a person who killed himself. I want to analyze the story and in the end compare it to a poem and a picture. My interpretation of the story is, that the central character is a girl, a black girl from Jamaica but lives in England. She is in love with her boyfriend Ed, which is also mentioned in the story. You don't really hear so much about Ed in the story, but there is no doubt about that he is her boyfriend. On the other hand the whole story is about the central character and a boy named Aaron. I think that Aaron and the main person is very close friends, and maybe Aaron is a bit in love with her too, but don't really dare to show it because he knows that she is together with Ed. Aaron tries to express his love in a letter to the narrator, but she had made a laugh out of the letter with her friends, and when she talked with Aaron in the phone, at a party where her friends are

  • Word count: 1187
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Ford portray the city of Parma? How might an English audience in the 1630's respond?

How does Ford portray the city of Parma? How might an English audience in the 1630's respond? Ford portrays the city of Parma as very different to a society of which an English audience would approve of. In the 1630's, the English would have disapproved of Italy as a Catholic country, so many of his observations would have played to the public's preconceptions and prejudices. The English had recently converted into a Protestant county and Catholics were treated with disdain. Therefore, Ford's portrayal of the Catholic Church would have confirmed many people's suspicions. Although the Friar is described as "full of holiness", his handling of his former student's incestuous relationship can hardly be described as morally or religiously correct. Although he disapproves, he attempts to rectify the situation by suggesting Annabella should marry, even though she is no longer pure. It is likely that an English audience would have disapproved of his actions as religiously incorrect. The city of Parma is full of lust and promiscuity that is not just confined to the relationship between Giovanni and Annabella. Soranzo and Hippolita had been committing adultery and although this was widely known the "common voice" never objected to this. Putana even uses this as a way of recommending Soranzo to Annabella as he has made a "good name" for himself sexually. Prostitution is also appears

  • Word count: 1144
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How far do you agree that Wycherleys The Country Wife is an attack on marriage?

How far do you agree that Wycherley’s ‘The Country Wife’ is an attack on marriage? One of the primary focuses of William Wycherley’s comedy, ‘The Country Wife’, is the concept of satirising the pretence and artificiality surrounding marriage particularly during the Restoration era and its rebellion against the prior strictness of the Puritan rule. Traditional marital values of love, fidelity and trust are distorted by intense emotion and lust, and these qualities are applicable to the typical comic characters of rakes, and adulterous wives who cuckold their husbands. The play may simply expose the ignorance of conventional fools to provide humour using dramatic irony and may not be deriding the amoral quality of marriage. Yet, more commonly inferred is the critical denouncement against the hypocrisy of ‘respectable’ people and their attitudes towards marriage, mirroring the age in which Wycherley was writing. The characters’ lack of contentment in a relationship is obvious, and the quick craving and yearning that results from this, for other men and women. This is unmistakeable in both sexes alike; the wives are cast off and abandoned, and consequently look for other men to fulfil their romantic desires – initiating cuckoldry. Throughout the play, nearly all characters are preoccupied with their reputation, and thus lie; but as the play ends with the

  • Word count: 1598
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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