Medea Essay

World Lit 1
July 2013

The toll that revenge takes in both Medea and The Thousand and One Nights is detrimental to a numerous of characters and results in the loss of many lives. The need to avenge someone for their wrong doings against you indicates that this was a common form in seeking justice during these ancient times, but through these two literary works it is apparent that gender plays a crucial role in how one goes about seeking revenge on their targeted subjects. In Medea the lead character Medea is a very clever and crafty to woman. She uses her wits to seek retribution against her husband Jason after he leaves her for another woman. She says, “Through being considered clever I have suffered much” (Euripides 693). We see that Medea has experienced what she believes to be the ultimate betrayal, and it has not been justified by Jason. All of her actions throughout the play are motivated by this single act. Throughout all the atrocious crimes that Medea commits, she never feels remorse for her crimes because she justifies them with the fact that women are treated unjustly in this world. She claims that women go through a lot and seeking this retribution against Jason is small compared to what women have to go through on a daily basis. She claims that “women are afflicted with the most wretched existence on earth because while men are free to divorce and remarry at whim; women can do nothing but suffer the consequences of males decisions” (Lines 213-261). Even though Medea is justified in her actions she goes to extreme lengths to seek revenge against Jason, killing everyone he loves including her own children. In The Thousand and One Nights, revenge is also brought on by the betrayal of a loved one. King Shahrayar is “driven mad by the infidelity of his wife” (1567). Like in Medea we see excessive rage and passion motivates King Shahrayar to not only kill his unfaithful wife and concubines, but also a new woman every morning after he sleeps with them diminishing his kingdom night by night. Once again we see a character taking extreme measures to avenge those who wronged them. Even though we see Medea as an empowered female it is skeptical on whether or not that was really how Euripides wanted to portray her. Through the character of Jason we see what Euripides really thinks about the female mind and the reasons for revenge. He says, “the point that seems to upset you-that I grew tired of your bed” (Lines 540-541). Jason repeats numerous times that this is why Medea has been hurt so badly because she has been wronged in the bedroom. He has taken a stab at Medea’s sexuality which is ultimately what makes Medea snap. Unlike Medea, King Shahrayar does not seek revenge because he feels inadequate in his ability to satisfy his women, but instead his ego is shattered because he does not understand why they would need anyone else but him. He is the king of all the land no one else can come close to him. In a way both Medea and King Shahrayar’s pride have been sufficiently damaged this is a main reason as to why the retribution was so violent and excessive.