Question

In a play Medea: Medea is contantly shown to be an 'other' throughout, and she even herself emphasises this. However, what is an instnace where she deos not try and make herself "other", and what is the irony of this?.

Answer 1

Medea does not present herself as 'other' when she pleads to Creon for mercy to stay one more day in Corinth, ironically using that day to reinforce her 'otherness' through her vengeful actions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Euripides’ play Medea, the protagonist is often portrayed as an ‘other’ due to her barbarian origins, status as a woman, and her use of sorcery. Throughout the play, she is continuously marginalized and seen as different from the Greek characters. An instance where Medea does not attempt to make herself ‘other’ is during her initial pleas to Creon for mercy, where she tries to be seen as less of a threat to stay in Corinth for one more day. This is ironically the same day she uses to exact her revenge. The irony here is that by aligning with the expectations of Greek decorum, she is allowed to carry out her horrific act of murdering her children, an action that inherently reinforces her status as an ‘other’, ultimately setting the ultimate distance between her and the Greek society.