Medea and Antoinette - Essay Example

Literature Medea & Antoinette Medea and Antoinette are two powerful and emotionally passionate characters in the book “Medea and Other Plays” by Euripides and “Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys. The strong cultural influence, conflict with the man in their life and strong passion is what characterizes their character and moves within the setting in which they perform their actions. The two characters reveal emotional fragility and conflict in personal relationships which results in the tragic results related to their actions. The mental state of both the characters lacks human warmth and affection. In Greek mythology, Medea (Greek, "virility") was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis (now a territory of modern Georgia), niece of Circe, and later wife to Jason. In the play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, King of Corinth offers him his daughter.The Medea tells the story of the jealousy and revenge of a woman betrayed by her husband. She has left home and father for Jasons sake, and he, after she has borne him children, forsakes her, and betroths himself to Glauce, the daughter of Creon, ruler of Corinth. Creon orders her into banishment that her jealousy may not lead her to do her child some injury. In vain she begs not to be cast forth, and finally asks for but one days delay. This Creon grants, to the undoing of him and his. Jason arrives and reproaches Medea with having provoked her sentence by her own violent temper. Had she had the sense to submit to sovereign power she would never have been thrust away by him. In reply she reminds her husband of what she had once done for him; how for him she had betrayed her father and her people; for his sake had caused Pelias, whom he feared, to be killed by his own daughters. .(Euripides, 2003) The story of “Wide Sargasso Sea” is set just after the emancipation of the slaves, in that uneasy time when racial relations in the Caribbean were at their most strained. Antoinette (Rhys renames her and has Rochester impose the name of Bertha on her when their relationship dissolves) is descended from the plantation owners, and her father has had many children by negro women. She can be accepted neither by the negro community nor by the representatives of the colonial centre. As a white creole she is nothing. The taint of racial impurity, coupled with the suspicion that she is mentally imbalanced bring about her inevitable downfall. (Rhys,1997) In Medea, protagonist of the play, Medeas homeland is Colchis, an island in the Black Sea, which the Greeks considered the edge of the earth--a territory of barbarians. A sorceress and a princess, she used her powers and influence to help Jason secure the Golden Fleece; then, having fallen in love with him, she fled her country and family to live with Jason in Iolcus, his own home. During the escape across the Mediterranean, she killed her brother and dumped him overboard, so that her pursuers would have to slow down and bury him. While in Iolcus, she again used her devilish cleverness to manipulate the daughters of the local king and rival, Pelias, into murdering their own father. Exiled as murderers, Jason and Medea settled in Corinth, the setting of Euripides play, where they established a family of two children and gained a favorable reputation. All this precedes the action of the play, which opens with Jason having divorced Medea and taken up with a new family. The play charts Medeas emotional transformation, a progression from suicidal despair to sadistic fury. She eventually avenges Jasons betrayal with a series of murders, concluding with the deaths of her own children. Famously, the pleasure of watching Jason suffer their loss outweighed her own remorse at killing them. Antoinette, is the daughter of ex-slave owners and the Wide Sargasso Sea’s principal character, based on the madwoman Bertha from Charlotte Brontës gothic novel Jane Eyre. Antoinette is a sensitive and lonely young Creole girl who grows up with neither her mothers love nor her peers companionship. In a convent school as a young woman, Antoinette becomes increasingly introspective and isolated, showing the early signs of her inherited emotional fragility. Her arranged marriage to an unsympathetic and controlling English gentleman exacerbates her condition and pushes her to fits of violence. Eventually her husband brings her to England and locks her in his attic, assigning a servant woman to watch over her. Delusional and paranoid, Antoinette awakes from a vivid dream and sets out to burn down the house. The character of Antoinette derives from Charlotte Brontës poignant and powerful depiction of a deranged Creole outcast in her gothic novel Jane Eyre. Rhys creates a prehistory for Brontes character, tracing her development from a young solitary girl in Jamaica to a love-depraved lunatic in an English garret. By fleshing out Brontës one-dimensional madwoman, Rhys enables us to sympathize with the mental and emotional decline of a human being. Antoinette is a far cry from the conventional female heroines of nineteenth- and even twentieth-century novels, who are often more rational and self-restrained (as is Jane Eyre herself). In Antoinette, by contrast, we see the potential dangers of a wild imagination and an acute sensitivity. Her restlessness and instability seem to stem, in some part, from her inability to belong to any particular community. As a white Creole, she straddles the European world of her ancestors and the Caribbean culture into which she is born. Left mainly to her own devices as a child, Antoinette turns inward, finding there a world that can be both peaceful and terrifying. In the first part of the novel we witness the development of a delicate child—one who finds refuge in the closed, isolated life of the convent. Her arranged marriage distresses her, and she tries to call it off, feeling instinctively that she will be hurt. Indeed, the marriage is a mismatch of culture and custom. She and her English husband, Mr. Rochester, fail to relate to one another; and her past deeds, specifically her childhood relationship with a half-caste brother, sullies her husbands view of her. An exile within her own family, a "white cockroach" to her disdainful servants, and an oddity in the eyes of her own husband, Antoinette cannot find a peaceful place for herself. Going far beyond the pitying stance taken by Bronte, Rhys humanizes "Berthas" tragic condition, inviting the reader to explore Antoinettes terror and anguish. Born rich and beautiful, Antoinette experienced some hard times during her childhood, but always gaily persevered. In her womanhood, her husband proves to be the straw that breaks the proverbial back of her gaiety. His character becomes vile and spiteful. Adultery with the Creole teenage maid or mind games with his loving wife were not enough -- instead he must tease her in a manner which strains her and saps her of energy. He proves to be totally worthless to her as his ambition is to exile her from her West Indies island and thrust her into the small confines of an English manors attic along with a gin-sipping, distrusting maid. To remove her to the attics purgatory, he falsely accuses her of insanity; a serious statement which no loving husband would ever wrongly declare about his spouse; a statement which would never be questioned by the other men who adjudicate her insanity. His lies detain her in the attic while he can freely use her money for his whim. Antoinette is used, discarded and confined driven to madness which becomes her indentity. The story of Bertha (Antoinette), the first Mrs. Rochester, "Wide Sargasso Sea" is a not only a brilliant deconstruction of Charlotte Bronts legacy, but is also a damning history of colonialism in the West Indies. The character of Antoinette is used by Rhys in the novel to address the issue of race and culture, but it also addresses the inner thought processes of a woman confronted with cultural chaos between the Creole, Jamaican, and British in the Caribbean. The text is a tapestry weaving Berthas story with Edward Rochesters early life. Like the seaweed the book is named for, the structure floats in and out of artistic consciousness as though on a sea of many unwritten stories. Although some might argue that "Wide Sargasso Sea," detracts from "Jane Eyre," I feel that Jean Rhys gives us a fuller understanding about the cultural historiography that produces "great literature." As a champion for the silenced voices, Charlotte Bront herself was all too aware of societies injustices. While today, "Jane Eyre" is generally accepted as a tract on social class, feminism, and conscious production of art, 150 years ago, Bront was lambasted by contemporary critics as unchristian, seditious and a poor writer. "Wide Sargasso Sea." is a wonderful book for anyone studying Latin America or the Caribbean cultures. Drawing from her personal knowledge of the West Indies and the unfortunate Creole heiresses of the times, Rhys reveals the decadent, incestuous societies in which such women as Antoinette flourished, resented by the former slaves, ripe for the plucking from their exotic vines. The truth lies somewhere between the perspectives of Antoinette and Rochester, an odd blending of cultures inspired by the easy fortunes to be plundered in a society where women are irrelevant. Hypnotic and disturbing, Antoinette Cosways tortured existence is a stunning indictment of an indifferent society, even Rochester victimized by the constraints of honor and propriety. (Rhys,1997) Euripides has reflected in Medea, a character which reveals the universal and timeless characteristics of a jealous woman where meanness, genders frailty, power, betrayal and revenge overpower the rationality. Medea is breaking all the rules: shes constantly exploding into feminist manifestos, seeking to (figuratively) neuter herself one moment and irradiating torrid womanpower the next, and spitefully slaughters her own family with impunity. In comparison to such a powerful character, the rest of the characters seem mere shades with vague wills and blurred senses of human values- except, perhaps, for Jason, who is so convinced of his own sexual superiority that he doesnt grasp whats going on until its too late. Medea knows her powers and alos knows when and how to use them to her benefit, “I know indeed what evil I intend to do, but stronger than all my afterthoughts is my fury, fury that brings upon mortals the greatest evils.” The strong emotional negative state of the character is further reveled in these remarks “Let no one think of me that I am humble or weak or passive; let them understand I am of a different kind: dangerous to my enemies, loyal to my friends. To such a life glory belongs” .(Euripides, 2003) Medea is a story about a womans heartbreak and the revenge she consequently seeks on her husband. After her spouse takes another wife Medea is torn apart, unable to distinguish right from wrong. She plots to kill the new wife and eventually Medea murders her own children, all in order to spite her former lover. Euripides expresses the power of passion without reason especially when it comes to love. Medea is willing to kill her own children out of despair, although they are the only people she really has. She has feelings of trepidation before killing the children, revealing her humanity, but appears triumphant after completing the murders. She appears at the top of a building at the end of the show which is usually reserved for divine appearances (intro), which is a metaphor for Medeas strength and even her unyielding brutality, qualities that many deities were believed to possess. Euripidess representation of the woman in the character of Medea, is very complex. Although tragic, Medeas dramatic actions express her passion, stubbornness, power, as well as her godliness and simultaneous humanity. “Women dont like violence, But when their husbands desert them, that is different”. The character of Medea, is as relevant today as it was in the times of the mythical set up of Euripides. The themes of revenge, depression, and female empowerment are still relevant. Infidelity and vengeance are things witnessed everyday: in movies, in the news, maybe even in our own lives. This string of themes proves further that human kind hasnt changed too much. Medea revealed to the audience a vulnerable, passionate woman who has a bit of a drama problem and needs just a little too much attention. One identifies with her pain and suffering and the disgusting way people in power dealt with her. But is there a line being far over-stepped by killing ones own children just to make a man feel guilty? “There is no bitterness to be compared With that between two people who once loved.” The character of Medea represents the timeless story of a womans revenge driven by her own selfish pride and the disgusting lengths she goes to hurt her husband. Medeas manipulative antics and sociopathic tendencies are very fascianating and intriguing. Her character has certainly conquered time and remains thrilling a couple thousand years later with themes like betrayal, justice and honor which are still prevalent in modern stories. Medea is a chilling character and affirms the fact that “In life, the worst disasters come from passion”. .(Euripides, 2003) Euripides is the dramatist of the irrational the harnessing of irrational forces into civic fabric of the polis and rationalistic worship of the Olympian pantheon, Euripides sees the passions as uncontrollable. Phillip Vellacott has given a very fresh approach to these translations which have been produced decades ago. They retain their freshness and immediacy. This set of inexpensive books is an excellent way to experience Euripides. Medea has been revealed as another example of "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". There are other questionable factors which make Medea’s response unique, Was she "insane" to have killed her children or was it legitimate within the scope of her response? What is so primal, so horrible about a mother killing her children? What role do the gods play in Medeas situation? Is she being punished for her earlier betrayal of her family? Did the Sun Gods appearance with Medea at the end of the play indicate that she was vindicated and had divine support in her program of revenge? If the action cannot be satisfactorily explained in terms of the characters of a play in which fate and destiny are present, then the matter is left up to these divine powers. Where does that situate us in our Existential dilemna? The, audience is free to purge its feelings because the gods are controlling the course of the action. How important are the different social values and responses exhibited in the play? Does the plays action turn on cultural differences or more fundamental aspects? Lastly, if it is a "Greek tragedy", is it only Jasons tragedy? Let us not forget his role in all this. It is tragic in that his life ends in despair. What about "bad karma"? Although Jason married a second wife, we saw no indication that he dad any romantic passion for her. It seems to echo his withdrawal of feeling from Medea. The more withdrawn he became, the more passionate was Medeas response. If Jason had exhibited more passion, it might have improved Medeas attitude. His coldness did not justify her actions but made them more understandable. Is it simply greek soap opera or are current soap operas a reflection of passions past and still present. Nothing could justify the actions of Medea but certainly a lot can explain it, or can it? Medea has been presented as a very strong, complex and intriguing character by Euripides, with divine intervention and strong human emotion, which fatally turns into tragedy of unfathomable degree. "Medea" is a study in how unbridled passion can overcome reason and lead to tragedy. This may be particularly pertinent with respect to the ongoing war between Athens and Sparta at the time the play was first presented. Medea, who had helped Jason in his quest, become his wife, and given him two sons, feels betrayed since he is marrying the daughter of the ruler of Corinth. With horrible vengeance, she kills the bride and the king and then her two sons. The form of text used to bring to life the two characters is very classic and different from each other. Medea is narrated in the form of poetry and actions and interactions revealed in flowing words which tell a story of old mythic characteristic. Wild Sargasso Sea, is a novel of remarkable challenge narrating the character of the complex but undeveloped character of Bertha(Antoinette) in Bronte’s Jane Eyre. In telling Berthas story (known in Wide Sargasso Sea as Antoinette Cosway), Rhys explores the complex relations between white and black West Indians, and between the old slaveholding West Indian families and the new English settlers in the post-emancipation Caribbean. Set mainly in Jamaica and Dominica, the country of Rhyss birth, the novel describes how Antoinette became mad. In Brontes novel, Bertha/Antoinette is a monster, described as violent, insane, and promiscuous. Rhys creates instead a sympathetic and vulnerable young woman who seeks, unsuccessfully, to belong. The themes explored in the novel, especially the status of women and the race relations between newly freed slaves and their former owners, have drawn the attention of critics. Other critics debate the merits of the novel, saying that it relies too closely on Jane Eyre and cannot stand alone. Certainly, Rhyss novel forces readers to reexamine Brontes novel and consider the significance of race in the nineteenth-century English novel. The characters of Medea and Antoinette, suffer a great deal in their personal life leading to dissatisfaction and isolation, which makes them unconcerned about their respective actions. Medea is calculative and manipulative, Antoinette is weak and vengeful. Antoinette stands as the gothic ghostly element rather than being a real life-like character. This adds to the fact that her Creole origin (note that Bertha Mason is a white Creole; a British woman born in the Caribbean) defines her, in the beliefs of metropolitan 19th century, as “tropicalized by her environments, emotionally high-strung, lazy, and sexually excessive”. Rochester, in an attempt of self-justification to his bride-to-be, depicts his wife (that he had to marry according to paternal prescriptions) as a real monster: This incomprehension between the two cultures is at the root of Bertha’s subsequent madness. Madness for Bertha mostly derives from the uneasy feeling of being unable to tell the difference between dream and reality, when reality eventually becomes dream-like. (Rhys,1997) The emotional aspect of both the characters is what drives their actions towards self destruction, overcome by intense passion which blinds their rationality. Medea, struggles between her devotion as a mother and her desire for revenge, we could infer from her first cries that her childrens murder is fated from the beginning--the natural consequence of Medeas overwhelming emotional shock. Medeas, wishes to punish her own children for Jasons offense. Medeas stance represents her attributes to her queen-like mentality, which accustoms itself to issuing commands and never compromising its own will, even when it is consumed by a state of rag. The emotional shock Jasons "betrayal" has sparked in Medea: she refuses to eat and spends her days bed-ridden, pining away her fate, especially her newly-awakened sense of homelessness. The long journey that brought her to Corinth has now left her with nothing. Medeas bitterness grows to such a degree that she even despises the sight of her children. Medeas first words are cries of helplessness issued from inside the house, she wishes for her own death.(Euripides, 2003) Antoinette is described by her husband as “tropicalized by her environments, emotionally high-strung, lazy, and sexually excessive”. Rochester, in an attempt of self-justification to his bride-to-be, depicts his wife (that he had to marry according to paternal prescriptions) as a real monster: "I lived with that woman upstairs four years, and before that time she has tried me indeed: her character ripened and developed with frightful rapidity; her vices sprang up fast and rank: they were so strong, only cruelty could check them; and I would not use cruelty. What a pigmy intellect she had – and what giant propensities! How fearful were the curses those propensities entailed on me! Bertha Mason, - the true daughter of an infamous mother, - dragged me through all the hideous and degrading agonies which must attend a man bond to a wife at once intemperate and unchaste"(Rhys,1997) The characters of Medea and Antoinette, though reflective of two different styles of literary composition have a common thread of woman’s journey represented in two different times in tow different parts of the world. The complexity of the circumstances which lead to their emotional reaction is same. The tapestry of events which envelops their reactions and the consequences is intricate and very heartbreaking. The exposure to the harsh realities of life, leaves them in the state of trauma and emotional shock which forces them to violence and madness. The emotional weakness, the lack of empathy, the social uprooted ness, and betrayal from the man and marriage is shown as the critical factor contributing to the tragic outcomes within the story and the character of “Medea” by Euripides and “Wild Sargasso Sea” by Rhys. The anguish is reveled in these lines "I do not leave my childrens bodies with thee; I take them with me that I may bury them in Heras precinct. And for thee, who didst me all that evil, I prophesy an evil doom." (Euripides, 2003) Work Cited Rhys, Jean. Wide Sargasso Sea. London: Penguin, 1997. Euripides. Medea and Other Plays. London: Penguin, 2003 Read More