"Medea" by Euripides, the Embodiment of the New Female in Greek Society.

Date Submitted: 09/21/2004 08:02:37
Category: / Literature / European Literature
Length: 4 pages (1230 words)
In Euripides' Medea, the protagonist, portrayed as the main character, abandoned the gender roles of ancient Greek society. As a result of this, Euripides invented a new version of the gender "female." Medea defied perceptions of gender by exhibiting "male" characteristics while existing in the bounds of the "female" mentality. Medea brings a sense of manly courage to woman's gender by slaying Creon and Creusa. She brings power and hubris, decidedly male characteristics, to a …
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…characteristics. Medea defied the society's stereotypes of male and female characters, and simultaneously defined a new view of women in that society. Throughout Euripides' Medea, the protagonist exhibited the tendencies of the epic male hero while revolting against the more "female" aspects as realized in Athenian society. As a result of this, she stands apart from other women as they were portrayed then, and stands closer than ever to her male counterparts in Greek tragedy.
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