Women’s life in Ancient Greece through Euripides Electra
Women’s life in Ancient Greece through Euripides Electra
Electra is one of the most prominent female figures in Ancient Greek literature as all three of the renowned tragedians, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides have written their own respective plays centered around this one woman.
I read the play of Electra written by Euripides. If the play was written by a woman it would be totally different. I even checked out some info about the other versions of Electra and they portray the same type of woman, so the Greek writers who were all men would try to portray women to be this way. I read that Euripides was accused of being a woman hater, which many people and mostly writers were. Women in classical Athens could not have had an extremely enjoyable experience, if we rely on literary sources concerning the roles of women within the Greek polis.
Electra’s actions actually contradict everything we said in class. Euripides portrays her with a more masculine role so that is the opposite of what Greek Woman were supposed to.
Keeping in mind the practical and ideal representations of women in Athenian society, this thesis will explore Electra and the ways in which she disrupted the maleordered society by playing both masculine roles and rebellious feminine roles which are far from the ideal expected by Athenian men.
The most apparent way in which these women play these gender roles is through language.Electra uses masculine language and was recognized in masculine terms by the other characters in the play. The so-called feminine language of deception also plays a major part in this play. Deceit and lies, as they first appear in Pandora, are aspects of the problematic woman feared by the men of Classical Athens. Electra claimed that she has no choice; "their crimes dictate my actions" she said. She insists that her father's killers pay for blood with blood. Electra also explained that, as a woman of noble birth, she's obligated to act this way.
Electra is one of the most prominent female figures in Ancient Greek literature as all three of the renowned tragedians, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides have written their own respective plays centered around this one woman.
I read the play of Electra written by Euripides. If the play was written by a woman it would be totally different. I even checked out some info about the other versions of Electra and they portray the same type of woman, so the Greek writers who were all men would try to portray women to be this way. I read that Euripides was accused of being a woman hater, which many people and mostly writers were. Women in classical Athens could not have had an extremely enjoyable experience, if we rely on literary sources concerning the roles of women within the Greek polis.
Electra’s actions actually contradict everything we said in class. Euripides portrays her with a more masculine role so that is the opposite of what Greek Woman were supposed to.
Keeping in mind the practical and ideal representations of women in Athenian society, this thesis will explore Electra and the ways in which she disrupted the maleordered society by playing both masculine roles and rebellious feminine roles which are far from the ideal expected by Athenian men.
The most apparent way in which these women play these gender roles is through language.Electra uses masculine language and was recognized in masculine terms by the other characters in the play. The so-called feminine language of deception also plays a major part in this play. Deceit and lies, as they first appear in Pandora, are aspects of the problematic woman feared by the men of Classical Athens. Electra claimed that she has no choice; "their crimes dictate my actions" she said. She insists that her father's killers pay for blood with blood. Electra also explained that, as a woman of noble birth, she's obligated to act this way.