Final answer:
Euripides subverts the audience's expectations in Medea, challenging their assumptions and provoking critical thinking about societal conventions and injustices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Euripides' play Medea is known for its portrayal of a mother who kills her own children. However, the author creates an expectation that Medea will be conflicted about this act and that her children will plead for their lives. Yet, neither of these things occur. Euripides does this to challenge the audience's assumptions and provoke them to think critically about the consequences of societal conventions and injustices. By subverting the expected outcome, Euripides forces the audience to confront the disturbing realities of the play and question their own beliefs.