In this Thesis three different versions of the Medea myth are analysed. They stem from the Antique, the 19th century and the 20th century, respectively. Analyses are made of how the female image of Medea is portrayed and if different historical perceptions of woman are being projected in the female image of Medea. The development of the myth and the drama is also being presented showing how it can influence the image of Medea. In Euripides version from the Antique, Medea is shown as both a human and with a more supernatural side. This is also typical for myths from these times. However, what sets Euripides apart from other stories from that age is that it contains a female protagonist with a strong character. In Franz Grillparzers story from the 19th century, Medea is still portrayed having a strong and independent nature, albeit no longer with supernatural properties. Instead she is driven by traditional human romantic characteristics displayed by her love towards Jason. In the version written by Christa Wolf, Medea is portrayed as a strong independent woman as in the other versions, albeit misunderstood by the society surrounding her. Her emancipated character becomes evident by the cultural differences displayed by Medea on one hand and society on the other hand. Also, Christa Wolf rewrites the myth into a novel and incorporates other aspects to the story such as a profound Scapegoat theme, by some described as a rewriting of the myth by incorporating personal experiences into the story. However, the main character of Medea - her independence and strong character is a common denominator in all the three stories.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:su-28788 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Dahlberg, Camilla |
| Publisher | Stockholms universitet, Avdelningen för tyska, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för baltiska språk, finska och tyska |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | German |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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