How Modern Versions Of Medea ( Euripides ) And Antigone (...

Ancient Greek theatre is famed for hosting many playwrights that have stood the test of time, nevertheless concepts and ideologies present in traditional Greek theatre have become outdated. Strict gender roles were ever-present in society and a person was judged in relation to his or her compliance with these standards. Ancient Greek theatre hosts many misogynistic examples of the conformity to the gender roles of the time as well as the consequences of rebelling against the gender protocol. Women were to remain invisible, obedient and subordinate and to rebel against these restrictions would condemn women to be seen as psychotics, liars, and traitors. Even so many female playwrights recreate these plays today in a modern light to†¦show more content†¦However, for a modern day society these plays prove useful to a feminist playwright breaking down Ancient Greek gender barriers as they create a critique of a patriarchal society through influential characters such as Medea an d Antigone. The virtue of a women, Aristotle said is â€Å"obedience and subordination† while that of a man is â€Å"the courage of command† (Politics 1. 1260a 20-32), so what happens when a women tried to rebel against these belief’s? In traditional Greek theatre when a women voiced her beliefs and did not conform to being reduced to silence she ended up being killed. This can be seen through Medea and Antigone as they are women who dared to be heard and this violation of societal expectation was fatal. In the context of when these plays were written the refusal to conform to unjust gender laws was simply unacceptable. Women were seen as inferior; hence the punishment for rebellious actions in Medea and Antigone was appropriate protocol at the time. Modern versions of these plays react to these sexist statements in a way to highlight the misogynistic and patriarchal values that are embedded in western society. In the Abbey Theatre production of Medea directed by Deborah Wa rner, an explicitly feminist standpoint was taken, proving to be successful. Medea played as a modern woman who is troubled with the disloyalty of her husband plots revenge on her unsuspecting husband. John Water, an Irish Times columnist said that this portrayal createdShow MoreRelatedThe Origins of Greek Theatre Essay2307 Words   |  10 Pagesbut soon enough its fields of interest spread to various myths along with historic facts. As ancient drama was an institution of Democracy, the great tragic poets Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides as well as the comedian Aristophanes elevated public debate and political criticism to a level of aesthetic achievement. Euripides and the ethologist Menandros, in the thriving years of Alexandria and later on during the Roman domination, reached a beau ideal level and through the Romans managed to form Western