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Theme Of Feminism In Oedipus And Medea

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Feminism during the time of Oedipus and Medea centered on women actually trying to make their voice known in the world. Today, the battle of the sexes continue; however, women have already established their importance on society and focus fighting more for equality with men. According to Loren Edelson’s article “The Trope of Transformation in Medea: A Noh Cycle,” she describes the difference between culture feminist and materialist feminism. The first focuses on the women's roles in society while the other focuses on “‘woman as a class oppressed by material conditions and social relation’” (Edelson 59). Furthermore the feminism described in these tragedies are expressed through their characteristics and how often they take part in the stories. In the time of these tragedies, women were expected to be overruled by men with little or no authority over the situations they faced in their life. Both of the main women in each of these stories live in a time where the husbands are the ruler of the household, but these two women don’t let them have all the power. Both “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles and “Medea” by Euripides highlight feminism, through the women’s characteristics, their drive, and their actions.
In “Oedipus the King” the main female character is Jocasta who is both Oedipus’ wife and mother. Jocasta’s character is considered a very distinct woman of her time, through the way she spoke her mind and interfered in different situations, whereas, most women of her time
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