2022 IB Diploma Extended Essays

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This essay will answer the question ‘To what extent does the production of the plays Medea by Euripides and Medea by Mike Bartlett reflect society’s perception of the expectations of women in the different social contexts of the time periods?’. This research question was chosen, as both Medeas are treated differently by their relative societies, despite both making the same choices in both plays. The choice of these two plays allows for a comparison of how literature reflects societal changes over time, whether those be for the better or worse. The production of each play, in regard to its characters, dialogue, relationships and stage directions, is a direct reflection of the biases of their playwrights, who are a product of their socio-cultural context. This is clearly seen through the management of the societal expectations placed on both Medea characters, as Euripides’ and Bartlett’s plays uncover the similarities and differences between the two time periods. The emancipation of women across history does not necessarily follow a linear timeline and the chorus’ reactions to Medea’s actions in both plays imitate the societal change since 431BC. The expectations that the chorus and other characters placed on Medea, in the areas of her relationship with Jason, her emotions and whether she was rational or insane, are accurate reflections of society’s perception of women in the different social contexts of the time periods, and these areas will be analysed in the following essay. Medea as a Character Contextually, the plays are set in times with very different political and social statuses of women. In Ancient Greece, women had virtually no legal and political rights compared to their male counterparts, and their social status varied depending on marriage. All women were expected to marry, and there was no role in society for single women, which made Medea’s lone escape at the end of Euripides’ play all the more shocking to its audience. Currently, women have roughly 75% of the legal rights of men (Trumbic, 2020). Socially,