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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What plans are made regarding Medea in order to facilitate the wedding?
(a) To banish her to a nunnery.
(b) To send her and her children into exile.
(c) To set her up in a country estate she may not leave.
(d) To execute her on false charges.

2. Why does Medea think Jason is a coward?
(a) She was the only reason he got the Golden Fleece.
(b) He is too afraid of Creon to speak up for Medea.
(c) He should have talked to her before going to another woman.
(d) He wasn't willing to stand up for Medea with the other Greeks.

3. What are the women of this play communally struggling against?
(a) The prejudices against women in ancient Greece.
(b) The desire to kill men for their betrayals.
(c) The ability to be a good mother while having to work.
(d) The balance between independence and homemaking.

4. Which character caused Medea's rage?
(a) Creon.
(b) Aegeus.
(c) Jason.
(d) The Nurse.

5. What function does the chorus's ode serve after the fight between Medea and Creon?
(a) It gives time for a scene change.
(b) It gives the audience a breather from the intensity of the scene.
(c) It offers more exposition to explain what is happening.
(d) It illuminates the subtext behind the relationship between the two.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Jason think influences women's judgment?

2. Why does the Nurse think Medea will refuse to exit her home?

3. Why does Jason say dealing with Medea is hopeless?

4. What does Jason believe Medea gained by coming to his homeland?

5. What prevents Creon from helping Medea or seeing her point of view?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. The ode from the chorus after Medea's monologue seems a bit misplaced, as though they are not speaking about Medea at all. What do you think is the purpose of this choral piece?

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

4. Why do you think Euripides introduces the Delphi oracle into the story?

5. Why does Medea doubt her ability to trust Aegeus?

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. What are the primary differences between Jason and Medea during their argument?

8. What happens that enables Medea to put her plans into action?

9. Is there merit to Medea's final justification to the chorus about why she must kill her children? Why or why not?

10. Analyze Medea's monologue in which she vacillates between killing her children and sparing their lives.

(see the answer keys)

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