This space if open for a discussion of the rest of Woolf's A Room of One's Own. To what extent does Woolf offer Shakespeare's sister's example as a way of saying that women are "locked in" their own bodies?
How did women come to enter the world of woman and fiction through the art of fiction rather than poetry?
Why does Shakespeare have an incandescent mind?
And what is truth?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
How did Medea chose this punishment for Jason and how did it affect him?
Throughout the play “Medea,” Medea’s character feels such pain, sorrow, and anger because her husband, Jason left her for the Princess of Corinth. This betrayal was not only emotional, but more important than that since Jason had swore an oath to the Gods when Medea sacrificed her home and family for him when they left on the Argo. Medea therefore did not want to be embarrassed in front of the Gods, as Jason left her. Since Jason left, Medea’s thoughts were filled with anger and a need for revenge. Indeed, her revengeful thoughts began to dominate her reason. Her main focus was her plan against Jason. She wanted him to suffer to an extreme extent, as she had suffered since the day they came together. Medea gave up her family to be with him, along with her home and everything she ever knew. Medea therefore wanted Jason to suffer in a way that left him with absolutely nothing. She wanted him to have no more reputation, no family, no money, etc.
In order for Medea’s wish to succeed she had to suffer herself as well. Medea decides to give up her motherhood in order for Jason to no longer have any children either. She believes that losing children could be the worst thing for Jason, meaning she allowed herself to feel the same pain that he would feel as well. So she must feel something when she gives up her motherhood because she thinks that it is the worst thing she could do to Jason. Her pain for giving up her children is seen through her indecisiveness when she sets up her plan for her children to deliver the dress. In that moment, she knows she is sacrificing her children, so then goes through moments of hesitation where she wonders whether or not it is worth it.
This can be seen from the way she goes back and forth wondering if she will kill her children. “No, I cannot. Goodbye to my decisions.” (p 376) Nonetheless, her need for revenge dominates, “Do I really mean to let my enemies go? To laugh at me?” (p 376) Her motherly instincts are overlooked because of her intense sense of vengeance. Moreover, even though Medea is able to put her children aside, she knows that Jason’s complete loss of children will destroy him.
Medea makes Jason suffer by taking away everything that he knows and that is precious to him. Most importantly, she takes away his fatherhood and his right to bury his children. The audience then begins to feel pity for Jason. Indeed, Medea begins to appear as a monster when she willingly gives up the life of her children; however, Jason must feel the pain unwillingly. The loss of children can be the most painful experience for a person, which is why the audience begins to wonder if he really deserves this punishment for leaving his wife. The initial villain then becomes somewhat the victim.
Jason’s suffering reflects Medea’s excessive nature. She suffers to an extent of what she should, which is seen as the women of the Chorus tried to convince her that she was overreacting because many women suffered the same pain. Medea also acts excessively to her unrestrained emotions. She kills many people just to avenge Jason for leaving her. Moreover, she may want Jason to suffer on an unrestrained level because she always does, and cannot control it.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Not the HOW but the WHY?
We know how Madea destroyed Jason and the lives of those around them (including her own): she told us the evil plan she had hatched. We also know the basic why: Jason left her. However, the more complex "why" is what remains hard to discover.
It would seem as though her excessiveness was the root of her evil. But, love, pride, stubbornness, or spitefulness could all be reasons of her excessive actions. Or is it mix of all three? What I'd like to know is why, what made it possible for her to get so murderous, to the point of killing her own children.
