A Monster after Recognition: Euripides' Medea as the "Other" of Man and Society

This article examines Euripides' Medea through the lens of "otherness," focusing on Medea's dual role as both the "Other" of man and the "Other" within society. Euripides, one of the three great tragedians of ancient Greece, is acknowledged for his complex and nuanced portrayal of human psychology and social issues. His works, including Medea, often challenge societal norms and question rigid cultural constructs, making him a dramatist ahead of his time. Medea reflects the condition of ancient women, embodying their struggles for identity and autonomy in a patriarchal world. Medea is positioned as an outsider not only because of her gender but also due to her status as a foreigner, foregrounding her intersectional marginalization. Medea’s narrative captures this marginalization, portraying a woman who resists societal norms and confronts the systemic inequalities imposed upon her. By addressing Medea’s identity as a foreigner and a woman, twice othered, the article explores how Medea’s alienation mirrors the broader historical struggle of women to establish their identity in the face of oppression by men and society. It also discusses how Medea, in a way, as an atypical representation of ancient womanhood, defies her "Othered" position through her words and actions, challenging the rigid structures of societal expectations. Accordingly, the article delineates Medea’s complex characterization and her resistance to being confined within the role of the Other by the dominant social order in the intersection of women’s and identity studies.