reason vs. passion essays

reason vs. passion essays In his plays The Bacchae and Medea, Greek playwright Euripides expresses his views quite clearly on the relationship between reason and passion in human life. Euripides believes that there is a constant struggle between the two elements, and people must be able to find the proper balance in order to exist peacefully, something his characters were unable to do. He expresses, via his characters, his belief that passion dominates this struggle in most cases, and when this occurs, proper logic is skewed. The lead role in each of these plays failed to find the proper balance of passion and reason, and in failure found death. The title role in Euripides play Medea is a proud, powerful, self-driven woman who strives to avenge an act committed by her husband, Jason. As the play opens, the audience learns that Jason has recently left Medea for another woman. This crushes Medea, as she has sacrificed much for Jason, and truly believes that they are lovers meant to be together for life. She enters a long period of mourning, and becomes inconsolable by even her closest of friends. Eventually her sadness turns to anger, and she begins seeking revenge for the wrong she has been done. Medea immediately begins plotting against Jason, and devises a plan, which she believes, will hurt him in the worst possible way. She decides to kill everyone close to him, including the children they have together, and destroy any legacy that may survive him. She carefully draws out every detail of the plan, ensuring its completion. Medea is successful in this aspect, as she is able to carry out everything she plans on. H owever, she does not plan on the struggle that would accompany these acts. Medea is forced to battle not only those around her, who beg her not to take the lives of her children, but she must fight her conscience as well. In the end, Medea kills her own children. This act is an example of passion overtaking ...