What Makes Women Crazy in Ancient Literature? Essay -- Literature

What does crazy mean? There are a few words that must be defined in order to support my argument. Crazy is an adjective that tends to mean passionately excited or enthusiastic. However it also can mean, â€Å"mentally deranged; demented and insane.† (Dictionary.com), which is important for the purposes of my argument because Medea is said to be crazy, but not overly excited about her situation. The next important word is mad, another adjective, and also a synonym for crazy. The last word is depressed, meaning â€Å"sad and gloomy; dejected; downcast.† (Dictionary.com). In The Tale of Genji , I believe Murasaki becomes depressed because she loses her â€Å"spirit†. Yet she hides her real emotions. Why are these words pertinent? Well they serve a purpose to distinguish culture differences in the two works: The Tale of Genji and The Medea. The different culture backgrounds in these two pieces of literature are important because it may help readers understand; why the characters â€Å"acted† in that specific manner. Therefore, I contend that the culture differences in Greek and Japanese writers reflect directly on the female characters reaction to the situations they were forced into. To support the argument, there will be background information provided on each author, including culture and personal history. Then I will explain the differences in each culture, specifically focusing in on their marital beliefs. However culture differences may not be the only culprit for the reflection of women in literature. In The Tale of Genji, the character Murasaki was not portrayed as crazy, she was a young noble lady in courtship with Genji: â€Å"Murasaki was no busy being grandmother to the royal children†(Shikibu 1335). In today’s modern society, some Americans ... ...com/docview/222691277?accountid=3611 "Murasaki Shikibu C.978-after 1005." Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and Biographical Forms. London: Routledge, 2001. Credo Reference. 10 Sept. 2007. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. . Reid, Matthew C., and Grant Gillett . "The Case of Medea: A View of Fetal-Maternal Conflict Journal of Medical Ethics." BMJ Publishing Group. 23.1 (1997): 19-25. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. . Vickers, Brian. "Myths in Tragedy." Towards Greek Tragedy: Drama, Myth, Society. Longman Group Limited, 1973. 268-343. Rpt. in World Literature Criticism, Supplement 1-2: A Selection of Major Authors from Gale's Literary Criticism Series. Ed. Polly Vedder. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. Literature Resource Center. Web. 26 Mar. 2012.