The essence of honor in marriage lies in maintaining profound levels of respect and self-respect for oneself and one’s partner. Esteemed behavior, benevolence, justice, courage, and integrity contribute to earning honor. Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” and Euripides’ “Medea” both illustrate the importance of honor in marriage and the detrimental consequences when it is lacking.
Both Medea and Nora exhibit both positive and negative aspects of honor. They both engage in sacrificial actions for the sake of their spouses, Torvald and Jason respectively. Additionally, Torvald and Jason both treat their wives as subordinate “objects” to serve their own interests. Both couples also face consequences that significantly impact their relationship with their children. Overall, Medea and Nora hold traditional views on marriage, placing great importance on sacrifice and the preservation of their spouse’s reputation and life.
Both characters in the text face similar situations as they both risk everything, including their own honor and dignity, in order to maintain the respect required within a marriage. In the play Medea, Jason requires Medea’s assistance in order to obtain the Golden Fleece. Medea willingly takes the lives of her own father and brother to demonstrate her commitment to her marital vows of protecting her husband. However, she deeply regrets these sacrifices as she acknowledges that she betrayed her own father and home by leaving with Jason to Iolcus in Pelias’ land (Euripides, l 483-484), only to be abandoned by him in return.
Medea demonstrates her love for Jason by taking drastic measures, such as murdering her own family members and tarnishing her reputation in her homeland. Despite her deep love for Jason, she now recognizes the consequences of sacrificing everything for him and suffering in his territory. Medea values her marriage vows and firmly believes that “the greatest salvation of all” is for a wife to remain loyal to her husband.
The text highlights the dedication of both Medea and Nora, illustrating their commitment to their actions despite the potential negative consequences. Medea remains steadfast in her pursuit, while Nora risks various aspects of her life to save Torvald. The doctor advises Nora to take Torvald out of town due to his deteriorating health. However, in order to do so, Nora must take a loan, which is hazardous as women are not legally permitted to handle financial matters.
Despite the potential consequences, Nora risks her reputation to save Torvald’s life, as she feels proud of being the one who rescued him. Throughout the play, Nora stands up for Torvald, even when Krogstad disrespects him. In response, Nora firmly threatens to show Krogstad the door if he speaks disrespectfully of her husband.
Krogstad’s knowledge of the forgery makes this action a risky one, as it could potentially destroy Nora’s life if he were to expose the information. Nora’s decision to defend Torvald demonstrates her willingness to sacrifice her reputation for him. Both characters have a great deal of admiration for their spouses, as shown through their selfless actions. However, unlike Medea and Nora, Jason and Torvald lack the necessary respect and honor required in a marriage. Despite the sacrifices that Medea and Nora make for their husbands, Jason and Torvald exploit them for their own pleasure.
Jason relies on Medea’s formidable power to obtain the Golden Fleece, and Medea willingly offers her assistance out of her intense love for Jason. Without her unwavering determination to aid him, Jason would face utter destruction. As Euripides states, she not only saved his life, but her heroic act is also well-known among the Greeks. Medea’s invaluable role in obtaining the Golden Fleece grants Jason an esteemed position in Greek society’s perception. However, it is important to acknowledge that Medea is merely seen as a pawn, tasked with controlling the fire-breathing bulls and safeguarding the highly coveted Golden Fleece at great personal sacrifice.
Jason’s lack of consideration for others is limitless. Had it not been for Medea’s cleverness and sorcery, Jason would never have obtained the Golden Fleece. In the play “A Doll’s House”, Torvald manipulates Nora as a form of entertainment, disregarding the true role of a wife. Torvald’s use of affectionate terms like “feather brain” and “little scatter brain” suggests that Nora is worthless and insignificant in his life. Nora perceives herself as merely a “doll”, rather than a typical wife. Throughout their marriage, she exists solely to amuse him.
According to Ibsen (226), he wanted the situation to be like that. He and Papa have done something terribly wrong to her – it is his fault that her life has amounted to nothing. From Torvald’s point of view, the relationship serves only one purpose, with no consideration for Nora’s feelings and dreams. Torvald also treats Nora as a mere object to display on his arm, in order to make himself feel worthy of having a beautiful wife. Nora comes to realize the truth about his love – he has never truly loved her; he has only enjoyed the feeling of being in love with her (225).
Nora’s certainty that Torvald would take the blame and sacrifice himself when the truth about the forgery was revealed is evident (230). She believed that he would say “I’m the guilty one” and prove his love for her. Torvald, on the other hand, believed that no man would sacrifice his honor for someone they love (230). His view of their marriage is based on physical attraction rather than emotional connection. This is why he buys extravagant dresses for Nora and expects her to always look captivating at events.
Both the relationships of Medea and Jason, and Nora and Torvald, appear to primarily benefit the husbands. They were fortunate to have Nora and Medea with the ability to change their lives for the better. It is important for individuals to honor their spouses and fulfill their responsibilities to their families and society, as this leads to harmony and peace in their surroundings. Jason and Torvald display a lack of honor, which ultimately leads to a negative shift in the relationships with their spouses and children. As a result, both mothers detach themselves from their maternal emotions and abandon or even kill their children.
In the play Medea, Jason’s lack of respect and his abandonment of Medea and their children causes her to seek revenge by destroying the lives of those closest to him. Medea believes that killing their children will inflict emotional pain on Jason. She strategizes to kill Creon’s daughter and Creon himself, and then plans to take the ultimate act of vengeance by murdering her own children. This cold-blooded act serves as a testament to Medea’s ruthless nature, showcasing her willingness to go to any lengths to ruin Jason’s life.
Medea commits this horrific act because she believes that her children died from a disease transmitted by their father (line 364). Jason, being self-centered, refuses to acknowledge his own responsibility in the death of their children. Medea asserts that it is he who should be blamed due to his disrespect and his forcing her into a virgin marriage. Similarly, Nora, like Medea, deeply cares for her children but ultimately prioritizes herself over them. Torvald’s lack of integrity and willingness to sacrifice in their relationship compels Nora to abandon her home and children in order to survive.
According to Ibsen (228), Nora’s realization that her identity as a wife and mother is not the most important aspect of her life is significant. She comes to understand that prioritizing herself as a human being should come first. The idealized vision of a perfect family that Nora had is shattered by Torvald’s self-centeredness, as he places himself above her. By the conclusion of the play, Nora recognizes that Torvald is not the man she believed him to be because he fails to prevent her from contemplating suicide. Both husbands lack honor and respect for their wives, resulting in the loss of their children and an unstable family situation (229).
To summarize, honor plays a crucial role in marriage by enhancing the connection between partners and impacting their relationship with their children. Henrik Ibsen and Euripides effectively depict the theme of honor in their plays, showcasing the characters’ moral and ethical values. The wives’ selfless acts of sacrifice, driven by love, respect, and bravery, serve as an example of honor. Additionally, these plays emphasize the negative repercussions that result from a lack of honor and using a spouse for personal satisfaction, ultimately damaging relationships.
