1. Medea and Achilles are similar in the fact that both were highly respected by the surrounding population, only to betrayed by members of their families (the army is a kind of family, anyway). They also both disintegrated into a hot mess once betrayed. While Achilles withdrew into a corner and basically abandoned his army until he was needed again, Medea flew into a rage. She poisoned her ex-husband’s new wife (as well as King Kreon, by accident) and murdered her own kids — all as a way to make her ex suffer. I really wouldn’t call her a hero in the traditional sense as she didn’t save anyone or anything. However, she is taking action to “right’ what was wrong with her world. This was obviously not how women were expected to act back in Euripides’s time, when women ran the household and left men to do the fighting or provide for the family. Medea is the epitome of the phrase “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’.
2. After Job is done railing against God, questioning every bad thing that’s happened to him, God basically shuts him down by reminding Job that God knows and sees all. God created the world, God runs the world, and everything He does is for a reason. Hearing this, Job is immediately contrite and asks for forgiveness. It seems that being reminded of how small he is in relation to the universe has humbled Job, and being told that every event has a purpose seems to remind him that faith and patience are virtues. His words, “I even take comfort for dust and ashes’ reflect the humbleness he is now showing God. I did find the end satisfactory; Job remembered that he’s not the one calling the shots, and due to him acknowledging this, he was richly rewarded and lived a long, happy life.
I like the way that you answer question 2. It was interesting to read. I completely agree with you that the ending was satisfactory. The overall lesson that he learned was something everyone should know. While everyone really thinks that they are 100% in control of every little thing in their live’s, they really aren’t. Anything could happen even if someone wasn’t planning on it.
I liked that you pointed out that both Achilles and Medea are willing to abandon what is most important to them in order to get revenge for their dishonor. For Achilles this meant simply not fighting in the battle, but in Media’s case this meant murdering her own children!
I like how you compare the similarities between Achilles and Medea. Though the contrast is great too especially how you describe the difference between Medea going out to get what she wants. While instead Achilles just seems to sit around.