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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why doesn't Creon trust Medea's reasons for allowing her to stay?

2. What does Jason offer Medea towards the end of their argument?

3. What does Medea think about women who have been wronged by a lover?

4. Who appears to check on Medea after hearing her cries?

5. Who explains why Medea is crying to the chorus?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Aegeus say Medea must make it to his kingdom on her own?

2. Why is Medea's position as an outsider in Corinth so important to her and the chorus?

3. Is Medea reacting truthfully during the entire fight, or is she setting Jason up for her ultimate revenge?

4. Is Creon's naming of Medea as a "clever witch" supposed to be taken literally or figuratively?

5. Why would people want to harm the children for Medea's crimes?

6. Why do you think the author spends so much time focusing on the sounds of pain from Medea, rather than just the rage over her betrayal?

7. Why would Medea believe that Jason was embarrassed by her?

8. Do you agree or disagree with Creon's decision to banish Medea? Why or why not?

9. What makes Medea's anger and despair seem so untoward to the Chorus?

10. What function does the chorus of Corinthian women serve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the structure and role of the classical Greek play, being sure to address the following: Is there a particular format a tragedy was to follow; what did audiences expect to receive when going to see a play in ancient Greece; were the plays used primarily for storytelling, or was there also another purpose?

Essay Topic 2

Aegeus introduces the concept of an oracle to the play. Examine the role of the oracle and the important role this concept plays within the context of the play.

Essay Topic 3

How does the author use the structure of the play to his benefit by using the audience's imagination when dealing with horrific acts? Argue for or against this structure as effective, drawing on details from the text and the research you have done over the course of the play's analysis into classical Greek plays.

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This section contains 983 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample