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  • Essay / The Role of the Chorus in Medea

    In Euripides' play Medea, we readers come across a scene in which Medea herself engages in a conversation with the chorus that suggests a male-dominated society . Medea's Chorus seems to act as a bridge between the audience and the main character's inner emotions, as it shows Medea expressing her sorrow at the reality of women at the time. In fact, lines 231-237 seem to suggest the problem of strong male dominance and how Medea herself desires the well-being of women. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To flow nicely, the first line that says “we women are the most wretched species” (Euripides 1.2. 231) suggests the way in which women are dehumanized. As for using the term “species,” we almost ignore the complications of humanity, especially women. Additionally, she mentions the words “we women” which create a difference between men and women and that women are treated differently than men in society. Now, there's a lot to unpack along the lines of "we need to buy a husband with a lot of money." goods and, in an evil even more harmful than the initial purchase, let us take him as master of our body” (Euripides 1. 2. 232-234). Here it is evident that women can be seen as disposable and easily commodified; seen as a medium of exchange in which men can so easily discard and pursue the woman who brings the most economic value. Continuing, the specific use of the term “purchase” shows how relationships between the sexes are more of a transaction than an emotional connection. Additionally, the idea of ​​a man controlling a woman's body suggests an overall unhealthy view of the female body. This is evident through the way a man, driven by lust, can so easily take control of the female body by force and thus destroy a woman's individuality. The words: “This is the greatest challenge, whether we win a bad husband or a decent man…” (Euripides 1. 2. 235-236), states that regardless of the husband's initial behavior during marriage, all men will become dominant over their wives. If a husband is forceful at first, he can quickly take control, but even men who initially seem honest will manipulate innocent women into their trap. Finally, the last lines of “Divorce ruins a woman's reputation, and it's not possible either. refuse a husband" (Euripides. 1. 2. 236-237) creates an idea which shows that, however inhuman a man's character may be, it is always the woman who is responsible for the failure (or the divorce) of his marriage. a relationship. The success of the marriage is the responsibility of the wife, even if the husband is morally bad. Indeed, if a woman attempts to end an abusive relationship, she has no hope of returning to an independent life, as she must be labeled as going against traditional marriage. Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.Get a Custom EssayTo conclude, this particular passage from Medea shows that women are expected to sacrifice their own freedom for the men in their lives. It is clear that women never truly get justice and are directly linked to patriarchy. The roles of “mother,” “wife,” “daughter,” and “sister” all take priority over a woman’s self-esteem..