Question

Medea's protest is in the setting of outside rather than the expected private setting in order to enhance her rebuttal of being labeled a helpless woman and instead an empowered woman who is discarding unjust social normalities. What is the purpose of Medea's protest?

1) To assert her independence and challenge societal expectations
2) To seek revenge on her husband
3) To gain sympathy from others
4) To prove her innocence

Answer 1

Medea's protest is primarily aimed at asserting her independence and challenging societal norms, as she rejects the passive female role and positions herself as empowered, despite also seeking revenge on her husband.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of Medea's protest is best understood as an attempt to assert her independence and challenge societal expectations of women during her time. Medea's actions, particularly choosing a public setting for her protest, underscores her refusal to conform to the expected role of a passive and helpless woman and instead positions herself as an empowered individual defying unjust social norms. The act of sending a poisoned cloak, as mentioned in the provided text, reveals a mixture of motives including revenge against her husband. However, when considering the wider context of Euripides' work that often challenges traditional views on the gods and human motivations while shedding light on societal injustices, especially those directed towards women, it is clear that Medea's overarching goal is to assert agency in a world that denies it to her by virtue of her gender.