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Aristotle and the Good Life

 

            The dictionary defines a wife as a women who joined to a man in marriage, or the female spouse, but the definition doesn't tell you what exactly a wife is or rather should be in order to be a good wife. However, everyone has his or her own opinion of what makes a good wife. Aristotle even wrote and essay on his view on the subject. He list many things that would make a lady a good spouse, a few of them are common with the traits the Medea, a legendary Greek witch, displays in her legend and in the novel written by Euripides. Although, she does some things that would contradict Aristotle's view of a good wife. She serves Jason as Aristotle says a wife should, but she does not obey her husband; gives no heed to public affairs, nor is she discreet with her own family affairs. But then he also sort of defends her actions by saying the husband needs to be faithful in order to have a faithful and righteous wife.
             Aristotle says "she will serve him more assiduously than if she had been a slave bought and taken home." (Ancient history Sourcebook: Aristotle: On a Good Wife, from Oikonomiko, c. BCE page1) According to the legend of Medea and Jason, Medea did serve Jason very faithfully. She did many things to help him achieve what he wanted even when she had to go against her family. For instance, she helped Jason get passed the fire breathing bull so he could win the Golden Fleece. She also caste a spell to make Jason's father youth return to him so he could witness their marriage as Jason wished. In addition to these, Medea left her family to accompany Jason home, even though she would be defying her father. She then killed her brother and chopped him up into little pieces prevent her father from catching them. After their return to Jason's home she tricked Pelias" (Jason step-father) daughter into killing Pelias. She literally served him with all of herself and used any means to help Jason get what he wanted and according to Aristotle this makes her a good wife.


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