Love In Medea, Thousand And One Nights, And Wedding At The Cross

For centuries, love has been explored by writers, philosophers, artists, and musicians. Love is a universal emotion experienced worldwide. Today, the concept of love is viewed as an abstract noun to describe the strong attraction to another person, however, for many ancient cultures love was a means to their being. Their concept of love was viewed as a powerful force that influences their behavior. They used love to explain justice and moral behaviors. This idea of love is present in many texts throughout history, specifically Medea, Thousand and One Nights, and Wedding at the Cross. These readings demonstrate the affect of love on a person’s behavior and how it is used to justify their actions. Medea is one of Euripides’ Greek tragedies.

Shahrayar believed in love strongly and loved his wife dearly. Once Shahrayar discovered his wife has been having sexual escapades with paramours, concubines, and black slaves, he lost his faith in love. Because Shahrayar loved his wife, it hurt him to know she was having an affair. To avoid being in love and being hurt by love he made a decree. Shahrayar decides that he will avoid the deception of women and love by taking a new bride every night and putting her to death in the morning. Similar to Medea, Shahrayar did immoral acts based on love and betrayal. One Thousand and One Nights shows that love does not only influence immoral actions, but also causes people to perform selfless acts. The vizier daughter, Shahrazad puts her love for her people before her life by marrying Shahrayar knowing she will die in the morning, “I would like you to marry me to King Shahrayar, so that I may either succeed in saving the people or perish and die like the rest” (One Thousand 1182). Shahrazad views her sacrifice as a way to bring justice to her people. Shahrazard sacrifice is relatable to many situations in modern times. For example soldiers fighting in war for the love of their country. Young mothers putting their child up for adoption out of love, in hopes they are giving their child a better future. Love motivates everybody in different ways. Some

Wedding at the Cross shows that love affects the decisions a person makes. Wariku and Miriamu came from two different social classes. Wariku was a milk clerk in a settler farm earning thirty shillings a day. Miriamu was in a higher social class than Wariku. Her father owned several groceries and tea-rooms around the town (Thiong’o 1693). The main reason her father did not approve of their relationship was because Wariku was not wealthy, therefore unfit to take care of his daughter. Motivated by love, Miriamu went against her father approval and married Wariku. Although Miriamu did not care for her father approval, Wariku wanted to prove to Miriamu’s father that he can be the man her father wanted her to marry. Wariku changed his name to Dodge W. Livingstone and became a successful timber merchant. He asked Mariamu to marry him again at the cross. Once again guided by love, Mariamu decided she could not marry Wariku, “No, I cannot...I cannot marry Livingstone...because...because...I have been married before. I am married to...to...Wariku...and he is dead” (Thiong’o 1702). In this situation, love helped Mariamu understand what her agency was. She desired to be with the husband she married the first time, the one who use to sing, dance, and laugh. Wedding at the Cross exemplifies the influential abilities love has on a person’s thought