Final answer:
In Euripides' 'Medea,' the female chorus offers sympathy and empathy, reflecting societal norms and moral perspectives. Their role in the play can be logical, providing moderation and connection to Medea's plight, thus serving as an essential component in understanding the psychological and human aspects of the tragedy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of the chorus in Euripides' plays often deviates from that of traditional Greek tragedies. In the play Medea, the chorus is composed of Corinthian women who not only serve as a voice for moderation but also offer sympathy and empathy to Medea. This ability to connect and understand her plight could be considered logical, in that the chorus represents the societal norms and the moral compass of the time. They both reflect and react to the actions of Medea, who is portrayed as both a criminal and rational. Euripides' work, notably in plays like Medea and The Trojan Women, emphasizes the psychological perspectives and human motivations over the intervention of gods, often presenting characters who struggle under societal conventions.
The chorus in different plays by Euripides can serve various functions, sometimes as a hindrance and other times as integral to the narrative, which might have been influenced by the practices of his predecessors such as Sophocles.