1. Madea is a woman, but Euripides has presented her as a figure previously thought of as exclusively male–a hero. Analyze her character in the play with that of Achilles, and conclude with a judgement on whether or not you think Medea is a hero and why.

Medea became a very troubled and appalling character after finding her husband cheating on her with another woman. She was so induced with rage that she killed her own children as a form of revenge to get back at her husband. A hero would not act out of anger or revenge to get back at someone. A hero fights for a purpose that is selfless. In comparison with Achilles they were both very similar. They both were selfish in their actions, and fought to get ahead for themselves. Neither in my opinion can be classified as a hero.

2. Job (in chapter 31) makes the claim that his life has been virtuous and devoted to the worship of God, and so he does not deserve the calamities that have fallen on him. He asks God for an answer, but the voice from the whirlwind does not deal with his question at all. Why does Job accept God’s assertion of divine power (42) and not press for an answer to his question? Why is he satisfied with what he is given? Do you find the end of the dialogue satisfactory?

“Bad things happen to good people.’ No one deserves going through hardships but everyone does in some way or another. Job accepts God’s assertion of divine power and doesn’t press for an answer to his question because when he was given a response, that was enough of an answer for him. Job was given “proof’ and that is why he was satisfied with what he was given.