Binary oppositionIn Greek tragedy there are many themes that conflict with each other. This is known as binary opposition, defined as a contrast of themes that are at opposite poles from each other. There are many conflicts in Euripides' Medea and Bacchae: perhaps the three most obvious oppositions are rational versus irrational, foreign versus native, and the stereotypical dichotomy of female and male. The first binary opposite in Euripides' works is rational versus irrational thinking, his characters are constantly changing within the plays; there are a couple of characters who maintain rational thinking and do not favor any side of the conflict. In Medea, Euripides showed rational thinking through the Chorus, who are married Corinthian women; they lend support to Medea in her time of need and give her advice as a friend and not as an enemy, when she spoke and acted irrationally (Medea 173-82). The Chorus agrees that "[Jason] wrongs and betrays" Medea by breaking their marriage vow (Medea 131-42; 208, MLA unit 6 information from). But they do not take the matter to extremes by thinking as Medea does and explains to her that if she carries out her plans for revenge “no city, no friend will have mercy on [Medea's] pain” (Medea 657-58). The Chorus even advises her that killing her children and her enemies is wrong and that it is right to "give up [her] plans" (Medea 813). Similarly, Euripides' work, the Bacchae, has rational and irrational thinkers, they are Cadmus the old king and Tiresias the prophet, and in contrast to the rational are the irrational thinkers who are Pentheus the current king and Dionysus the god . Cadmus and Tiresias are the only two men who remain rational throughout the play. I agree that there is…half the paper…age. In Euripides' play, Medea, uses the stereotype of women to gain trust, one more day in Corinth, and what is expected of men and women in society. The conversation between Creon and Medea, "[he] commands her to depart from this land", but Medea begins to use the woman subservient to the king to gain a day. She told the king "do not be afraid of me, Creon, I have no means to harm the men who rule", and manipulated the king into letting her stay another day in Corinth because of her children to "have mercy on them !” (271-356). Medea in fact manipulates Jason by asking him to take the boys and not allowing them to be exiled from Corinth. Medea uses the fact that even gifts "persuade the gods and that gold is stronger than gold", to trust her in giving a gift to his new bride as "[t]he spirit of fortune is with her... [to] make her fortune grow more".” (947-975).