Final answer:
In Euripides' play, Medea's intelligence and magical abilities are linked to her status as a foreigner, signifying both her empowerment and isolation within Greek society. Her strategic use of these attributes reinforces her 'otherness' and serves as a critique of societal norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medea's intelligence and her capability for witchcraft are often interpreted as allusions to her status as a foreigner in Greek society. Within Euripides' play, Medea's intellect and magic reflect her foreign origins, which come to symbolize both her power and her alienation. She employs her skills strategically, illustrating her rationality even as she commits chilling acts, such as sending a poisoned cloak to her rival, which subsequently also kills the king (Medea's ex-husband) when he tries to save his daughter. This use of intelligence and witchcraft reinforces the sense of 'otherness' that Medea embodies. Euripides often uses characters, like Medea, to question social norms and the roles of gods, suggesting that human actions, not divine influence, drive events. Medea's intelligence is seen not just in her manipulative abilities but also in her critical engagement with the surrounding social and moral structures she finds herself in, thus deepening the connection between her foreignness and intellectual prowess.