Ancient History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ancient History - Essay Example This study aptly discusses the male mistreatment such as verbal and physical mistreatment of Medea and Lucretia, two outstanding classical mythical female figures. There are various factors that account for the differences in responses by the two women. Below are factors that lead to Medea murdering Glauce the new bride and her children. To begin with Medea was a foreigner, and a barbarian which did not mean much to her Greek husband Jason. Medea’s husband could not refuse the opportunity to wed the king’s daughter Glauce, thus, emotionally ill-treated Medea by rejecting and verbally abusing her. Medea rings a bell to Jason for having left her people to stay with him. Lucretia was a virtuous woman, and could not tolerate the humiliation of being a rape prey. Lucretia killed herself to testify her purity of being raped by Sexton Tarquinius. She kills herself to illicit sympathy, and ensures that revenge was accorded to her. She deems that no good can transpire to a woman without any reputation. She might have killed herself to uphold her honour and stand up against men as a woman in a male dominated period. Sexton physically abused Lucretia by raping her, and treated her with hostility by threatening to kill her (Langlands, 87). The two women reacted on inferior treatment by men in their individual countries. Medea’s response of having reprisal on her husband is not for the greater interest of all the women in Greece, but for her own painful revenge on her husband. Medea is a temperamental woman who can not endure the jealousy, and anger after her husband tells her that he would make her his mistress. This shows men dominance, since he betrayed her subsequent to her forfeiting everything as well as killing her brother, and leaving her country for him. Her reaction is, therefore, mainly personal. Lucretia’s death is not retribution it is an act of sacrifice for social justice. Instead of revenging her rape she decides to bring the