Final answer:
An ancient audience would have viewed the character of Jason in the play Medea as a heroic figure, admiring his bravery and accomplishments. The cultural context and the motivations behind his actions would have influenced the ancient audience's perception of him.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a play such as Medea, the character of Jason would have been viewed differently by an ancient audience compared to a modern audience. An ancient audience would have likely seen Jason as a heroic figure, while a modern audience might view him as smug and unsympathetic. This difference in perception is due to the cultural and societal values of the time.
In ancient Greece, Jason would have been regarded as a hero because of his status as a mythical Greek hero and his participation in heroic adventures, such as the quest for the Golden Fleece. The ancient audience would have admired his bravery and his accomplishments.
Furthermore, Jason's portrayal in the play itself would have influenced the ancient audience's perception of him. The playwright, Euripides, often reduced heroes to the level of contemporary humans and challenged conventional notions. While Jason's actions in the play, such as marrying and then deserting Medea, may seem unsympathetic to a modern audience, they would have been seen differently by an ancient audience who may have understood the cultural context and the motivations behind Jason's actions.