Two evil women...but at what cost? One, her sanity...the other, her children...
I wonder how, no matter her anger, a woman could kill her children. What would drive a person to such horrific actions? Lust, hate, envy, greed--all are strong emotions, and generally the most persuasive to negative action. Yet, in regard to Medea, there is strong evidence that the story does not always insist that Medea murders her children, although when she does so, it gives rise to audience revulsion and perhaps persuades them to look more positively on Jason, who has, according to most opinions, treated Medea abominably. Anyway, there are two interpretations to the story. One is that Medea murders her own little ones. The other story is that the townspeople, in their anger at what Medea has done to Creon's daughter, and to Creon, killed the children to gain revenge against Medea. If that is so, how does the killing of children either way offer true revenge? Where is the justice to be found in murdering defenseless children?
As for Lady Macbeth, I find it interesting that she could love Macbeth, yet ridicule him for not killing the king and fulfilling HER ambitious desires. And then, when push comes to shove, she uses the pathetic excuse that, well, she would have killed King Duncan but he looked oh so much like her daddy. Who is the coward now? And even though she tries to encourage Macbeth to hold on to his sanity in front of his men, who is the first to allow hers as an expression to tell all? Her greed, and perhaps her religious beliefs too, led her to take her own life.
Women today live and love just as fiercely, yet even today we would scorn some of Lady Macbeth's actions, and Medea's. What do you think of these women? These women were comparable to the heroes we've covered, yet they shine less brilliantly than the men in the Iliad and in other epics. Is it just because killing is acceptable only in battle? Or is it because it is still a man's world. I sure don't know but it all seems worthy of speculation, especially since it seems that most women are poorly portrayed in literature from biblical times through the 1700's. I have to wonder why it is that classic literature rarely shows a heroic woman other than one who is "virtuous" for her man.
I wonder how, no matter her anger, a woman could kill her children. What would drive a person to such horrific actions? Lust, hate, envy, greed--all are strong emotions, and generally the most persuasive to negative action. Yet, in regard to Medea, there is strong evidence that the story does not always insist that Medea murders her children, although when she does so, it gives rise to audience revulsion and perhaps persuades them to look more positively on Jason, who has, according to most opinions, treated Medea abominably. Anyway, there are two interpretations to the story. One is that Medea murders her own little ones. The other story is that the townspeople, in their anger at what Medea has done to Creon's daughter, and to Creon, killed the children to gain revenge against Medea. If that is so, how does the killing of children either way offer true revenge? Where is the justice to be found in murdering defenseless children?
As for Lady Macbeth, I find it interesting that she could love Macbeth, yet ridicule him for not killing the king and fulfilling HER ambitious desires. And then, when push comes to shove, she uses the pathetic excuse that, well, she would have killed King Duncan but he looked oh so much like her daddy. Who is the coward now? And even though she tries to encourage Macbeth to hold on to his sanity in front of his men, who is the first to allow hers as an expression to tell all? Her greed, and perhaps her religious beliefs too, led her to take her own life.
Women today live and love just as fiercely, yet even today we would scorn some of Lady Macbeth's actions, and Medea's. What do you think of these women? These women were comparable to the heroes we've covered, yet they shine less brilliantly than the men in the Iliad and in other epics. Is it just because killing is acceptable only in battle? Or is it because it is still a man's world. I sure don't know but it all seems worthy of speculation, especially since it seems that most women are poorly portrayed in literature from biblical times through the 1700's. I have to wonder why it is that classic literature rarely shows a heroic woman other than one who is "virtuous" for her man.
