Crossing Geographical Boundaries in Greek Mythology - Essay Example

Often to conquer a new territory of pursuing glory, mythic male heroes could freely move around Greek and foreign lands. To women, travelling was only for respectable ones. Despite the restricted movement of women, there are stories of mythological women who crossed lands, willingly or unwillingly in the company of men, through the influence of gods or in certain cases through their choice.

They provide insight into the attitude and the inherent fear that the Greeks, especially Athenian society had regarding women’s freedom of movement. Helen of Troy left her homeland and moved to a new land with a male Paris. Medea crossed boundaries with Jason. Paris takes Helen from her husband Menelaus and travels from Sparta to Troy with her. This abduction causes the Trojan War. The contest between the goddesses and the judgment of Paris points out the cause of Helen’s abduction; Aphrodite promises to Paris that he could have Helen as a prize (Steiner, 2011).

By travelling to Troy, Helen abandoned her home, her husband, and her child and broke the social boundaries of marriage. The result is disastrous for Trojans and Greeks, ten years of war, involving bloodshed and suffering, to bring Helen home from Troy. Helen’s movement destroys all Trojan husbands and perverts the wedding rituals of the Trojan women. Medea is a maiden who leaves her homeland willingly to travel over geographical boundaries to aid her hero that she fell in love with on her quests.

She helps Jason to win the Golden Fleece. In Colchis. Aphrodite influenced Medeas to fall in love with Jason. Medea betrays her father Aeetes and aids Jason. Like Helen, Medea is influenced by the gods. Aphrodite influences their decision to cross boundaries. Hera convinces Aphrodite to make Medea fall in love with Jason so that Jason can obtain Fleece, as Hera’s motive to eventually ruin Pelias for dishonouring her. Like Helen’s act of crossing boundaries, Medea’s travelling with Jason was also characterized by bloodshed.

Medea and Helen’s movement to new lands results in the death of others. Medea murdered her brother Apsyrtus. While travelling from Colchis on the Argo, Medea aided the voyagers by killing Talos. In Colchis, Medea kills the ruler of the city, which she is foreign to and destroys family bonds. When Jason forsakes Medea in Corinth, she kills both the princess and her father Creon in vengeance. Medea is cruelly smart than Helen and goes to the extent of killing her children, in an attempt to make Jason suffer for abandoning her.

For every murder that Medea commits, she not only crosses a social or moral boundary but also crosses a geographical boundary and moves into a new city (Medea: A Delphic Woman Novel, 2013). The more transgression and movement Medea achieves, the more independent she becomes. The consequences of Helen’s departure from the Greek to Trojan World result from perpetrations by others in pursuit or defence of her. Medea comes out as far more dangerous, the deaths that occur are perpetrated by herself.

Helen may be able to return to Menelaus, but the cost of her departure and lives lost in the war is unchangeable. On the contrary, Medea cannot return to her homeland, seek support from family or return to Corinth or Iolchus after the murders and betrayals she commits.