Hello there.Can someone please mark my Medea essay, and give it a score out of 10? Be as harsh you like, even I acknowledge that it's pretty crap. It's also unfinished for that same reason; I reread it half way through and realised that it was shiiiitttttttt so I gave up. Also, some questions if not too much of a hassle.
Prompt: “You women are all the same.” To what extent are Jason’s judgments validated in Medea? Although set in a patriarchal society, the female namesake of Euripides’ Medea defies what is expected of her gender. In doing so, she differs herself from other women of her society who otherwise accept such roles.
For one, Medea rejects motherhood. In light of news that she is to be exiled alone, Medea expresses regret over her children’s existence as they were “all for nothing”. From this, and her consequent repeated use of the word “I”, audiences may infer that her children were merely of personal gain. All love she shows is thus presumed to be absent, and what is presented as a facade to further her own personal pursuits. This lovelessness however contradicts the Chorus’, in essence her society’s, image of loving mother. Warning Medea of the consequences that her infanticide will have on her “heart”, it could be deduced that the Chorus is suggestive of Medea’s child-mother relationship being founded on the love for her children. Therein, an expectation that mothers should love their children is implied; Medea in defiance hence rejects such role. This is in turn however contrary to the female expectation that Medea embraces the maternal duty. Euripides implies as such through the Chorus’ use of the word “women” in referring to Medea’s motherly role, suggesting that women are inherently mothers, thus setting an expectation that they are so. Thus by rejecting
Medea also does not accept her sufferings without retribution. Seeking “pain and sorrow” for her “treat[ment]”, she emerges unrepentant in her “wicked” vengeance. In placing Jason as “cause”, and reasoning that she suffers not as his “mockery is silenced’, Medea claims no responsibility for her actions. This remorselessness towards immorality could thus imply her refusal to be wronged, and the extremity of such too. However, it is her society’s expectation that she accepts these wrongdoings without retaliation. Evident in Jason’s affirmation that Medea abandoning her rage for his actions is the “superior way of thinking”, Euripides implies that her society saw Jason’s actions as correct. Medea in effect should accept them without response, regardless of the suffering it causes her
However, Medea’s portrayal as superior to men is what ultimately differs her from other women. “Assuming a posture of helplessness”, she successfully manipulates Aegeus into granting her his “country’s protection”, him doing so with promise of fertility. However by doing such, it could be implied that Aegeus foresaw Medea’s need for sanctuary to escape punishment, and thus too her treacherous actions. He is in turn seen as a man blinded by desire; forsaking moral and reason for passion, he willingly offers protection for an undeserving criminal. It is as such through Medea’s manipulation as cause, that her superiority is highlighted. In addition, Medea also receives divine approval. Escaping punishment with a “chariot” of “the Sun”, the play’s deux ex machina indicates the great extent of support Medea had from the gods, as without it she would have faced certain peril. In contrast with Jason’s unanswered prayers, a deeply religious Greek audience would consequently see Medea as superior to Jason.
In the end, Medea’s disobedience of gender expectations makes her a unique woman of her patriarchal society. It as when Jason states that “all women are the same”, basing this assumption off Medea, that his thinking is founded on false grounds. Her rejection, of what is uncommonly rejected, in consequent comes unexpectedly to the play’s characters, often leading to their peril. Through this, Euripides castigates societies like Medea’s for their inherent flaws.
Questions- Should I plonk in an argument about how she's like other women of her society, right in between my 2nd and 3rd?
- How do I improve my vocab? As not in improve, but use? I usually know the word but it just takes forever to fetch from the recesses of my brain.
- How do I write conclusions lol (unless what I have is correct, then never mind
)
- Is my first body paragraph (it's just missing a concluding sentence) sufficient in terms of content and length?
- How can my expression be stronger? I feel like it's a bit choppy and not flow-y enough.
Thanks in advance for all help.
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