Final answer:
Medea's dialogue and actions in Euripides' play reflect her barbarian and foreign status, as well as the societal limitations placed on her as a woman. Her strategic and unapologetic manner underscores her external identity, while the play focuses on psychological motivations over divine intervention.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Euripides' play, Medea's words and actions exemplify her as a barbarian and a foreigner, which also accentuates the challenges she faces as a woman. Her portrayal as rational yet criminal highlights the complexities and contradictions in her character. Medea's resourcefulness stands out when she manipulates the circumstances with the same strategic approach as a hero planning revenge, as shown in the excerpt: "More must I moil and bigger bale must brew, Whereby to quell and crush his cruel heart." Her barbarity is emphasized by her capability for extreme measures, such as turning an unfaithful lover into a beaver to escape punishment, as a metaphor for his actions. Additionally, Medea uses her abilities to retaliate against those who wrong her, showing disregard for societal norms and emphasizing her position as an outsider with different values.
Euripides pushes the boundaries by having the gods' actions appear questionable, thereby promoting a psychological understanding of events - rather than divine will - as the driving force behind human motivation. The struggle and injustice faced by those marginalized by human laws, such as women, are a central theme in Medea's narrative. Euripides portrays the legendary barbarity through modern characters, like Medea, whose heinous act of killing her children is framed as a consequence of being driven to desperation by an unjust society.
Euripides' approach to character development, particularly with strong female leads such as Medea, was revolutionary for his time. By reducing the importance of the chorus, Medea emerges as a character-driven drama, where the individual's personal tragedy is foregrounded, allowing a deeper exploration of the protagonist's barbarian nature, foreign identity, and womanhood.