Title of Work: Medea Country/Culture: Greek Literary Period: Classical Type of Literature (genre): Drama/Tragedy Author: Euripides Authorial information: Euripides was born in 484 BC and took up drama at the young age of 25. At most drama competitions, however his plays came in last place until he was about 45 or 50 years old. In his entire life, he wrote 92 plays of which only five received first place awards at competition. Euripides despised women. He had been married twice to unfaithful women
In classic Greek literature the theme of a tragic hero is prominent. In Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, the protagonist falls victim of being a tragic hero. Events within the text lead readers to question Sophocles’ implementation of fate and free will. This key philosophical question poses a conflict between the prophecy of Oedipus’s life and the decisions he makes once told about the prophecy. If Oedipus was able to make independent decisions such as gouging his eyes out, (an
The Greek forces won the Trojan War. The story of the war is a cornerstone of Greek legend, and pervaded Greek literature and culture. Though the evidence for the Trojan War as historical fact is scarce, it was a formative event in Greek cultural memory, producing some of the classical world’s most famous heroes and narratives. The War was won, Helen was retrieved from Paris, whose violation of ξενία was redressed, the heroes attained the κλέος that many of them fought for – and yet the positive
Monday, 24th September, 2012 Hamlet as a Tragedy by William Shakespeare 1.1. Brief Introduction to Tragedy: Greek and English: Elizabethan tragedy is traced back to Greek tragedy, since Greeks are said to have pioneered the Western knowledge, be it Science, Arts, or Humanities—not necessarily Technology. The rich contribution of Greek dramatists like Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus and Aristophanes, is noteworthy, towards the development of both Roman and English Drama. Though Roman Drama
Medea as Woman, Hero and God In Euripides' play the title role and focus of the play is the foreign witch Medea. Treated differently through the play by different people and at different times, she adapts and changes her character, finally triumphing over her hated husband Jason. She can feasibly be seen as a mortal woman, Aristotle's tragic hero figure and even as an exulted goddess. Medea's identity as a weak woman is emphasised at the very start of the play. It is made very clear that
THESIS STATEMENT Euripides’ Achilles is seen as the first tragic hero because he has all the criteria of a tragic hero - high social position, undergoes reversal of fortune, and a tragic flaw - but he does not have a tragic downfall. PURPOSE STATEMENT Through critical essays, research, and reading The Iliad, it can be perceived that Achilles is the first tragic hero in dramatic history. INTRODUCTION Throughout The Iliad, it is debated whether Achilles is the tragic hero or Hector. Looking at the
In Euripides’ play Medea, the audience is introduced to a uniquely female perspective often absent in Greek drama. Of course, this perspective, being written by a man, is not absent of the female mythological archetypes common throughout all of Greek literature. Most of the female characters hold archetypal roles to move the story forward. However, during the course of the play, Medea defies a simple archetypal prescription. She fits in between the lines of a “good” character and “bad” character
A masterpiece of ancient Greek Literature Medea is the story about the revenge of a woman. It depicts the conversion of a devotee wife into a merciless woman. This story enlights our minds with a fact that a woman can build a home with her love and affection and she can also destroy it if she gets double crossed. Love her your world will be a paradise Betray her she will snatch it from you Something about the writer: Euripides an important literary figure
Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is that of “misfortune comes to him ‘not through vice or depravity’ but by some error of judgement.” Dorothy Willner, author of “The Oedipus Complex, Antigone, and Electra: The Woman as Hero and Victim”, quotes “on the tragic hero, suffering is never merely imposed; he incurs it by his own decision.” Born to Oedipus and Jocasta, the former king and queen of
The time period of Greek theater’s popularity was a very influential time in our world’s history. Without knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members, and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteristics that complete Aristotle’s definition