If you look at the back-story to Medea, you can see that Medea is not one who fits into the submissive role of women in ancient Greek society. When Jason showed up in Colchis, she did not hesitate in betraying her father by helping Jason steal the Golden Fleece. This betrayl is only intensified by the subsequent murder and dismemberment of her brother, a crime that was committed solely to slow her father's pursuit of Jason when he was leaving Colchis. Medea has already established an insubordinate role for herself before the story even begins.
At the start of the play, Medea is already in tears. This is a deceptive tactic she uses to make everyone think that she is inferior and weak. Once Jason took a new wife and Creon banished her from Corinth, Medea disguised herself as the betrayed wife and begged Creon for mercy. "I beg you. By you knees, by your new wedded girl Allow me to stay here just for this one day." Medea is a pitiable woman bogged down by Greek society? Yeah right. She doesn't skip a beat before divulging her plans for revenge to the chorus. I would say that exhibits Medea as acting outside of the traditional role of women in this Greek society. .
To emphasize Medea's non-conformity, all of the other female characters in the story are categorically agreeable and compliant. The character of the nurse does only as she is told and not once strays from her role. The chorus, to which Medea forecasts her murderous plot, does not one single thing to warn her enemies or prohibit her from murdering her children. All of these women are portrayed as behaving in a manner that was considered acceptable at this time. They are nothing more than sheep. You can see the difference in these opposing attitudes in a conversation between Medea and the chorus. The chorus says, "Oh unfortunate one, where will you turn? Who will help you? A god has thrown suffering upon you in waves of despair." In response to this standard servant commentary, Medea says, "Do you think that I would have ever fawned on that man unless I had some end to gain or profit in it?".
