Medea: The wrath of a woman scorned

If there has to be one women of all time who refused to accept the role placed on her by society that would have to be Medea. Her character has many layers, a vengeful and evil woman on one end and a weak heartbroken girl on the other. While still a symbol of barbaric strength she has an undeniable wit often not assumed by ancient women. Love always seems to be a modern conception when you think of the role of women in ancient times. However it seems to be obvious that Medea loves Jason because Euripides provides no other reason for Medea’s intensity.  Jason wronged her but it was not simply the act of remarrying that wronged her. She was left out of the loop and her previous sacrifices ignored.  Perhaps modern woman can draw from Medea’s strength in standing up for herself and channel that power into their lives. While history may not see Medea as a symbol of femininity (because she goes against social norms) there is something distinct and womanly about her actions. She seems to feel more than most of the characters in ancient tales who seek violence to gain power. While at the same time destroys bonds that even today define womanhood. Killing her father, brother, and sons is a clear statement that Medea was not a GREEK and therefore the story does not give her such honor. Much has to be said for that because maybe the reason Medea isn’t a hero lies in her gender.[kml_flashembed movie="" width="400" height="400" wmode="transparent" /]