What Are The Themes Of Phaedra?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The major themes of the play include lust (Phaedra’s lust for Hippolytus is the engine that drives the tragedy, and the Chorus expounds on examples of lust throughout history); women (Phaedra may be considered an heir to the tradition of scheming, wicked women in Greek mythology, such as Medea, although she is ...

Is Phaedra an evil woman?

Indeed, in this section of the play Racine deliberately departs from his Greek original to sustain his conception of Phaedra as a tormented, but not an evil, woman . In Euripides, it is Phaedra herself who accuses Hippolytus in a letter she leaves behind after her suicide; here the murderous lie is the doing of Oenone.

What kind of tragedy is Phaedra?

Phaedra is a Roman tragedy written by philosopher and dramatist Lucius Annaeus Seneca before 54 A.D. Its 1280 lines of verse tell the story of Phaedra, wife of King Theseus of Athens and her consuming lust for her stepson, Hippolytus.

How does Phaedra kill herself?

Theseus’ queen, Phaedra, fell in love with Hippolytus. When Phaedra’s passion was revealed to him, he reacted with such revulsion that she killed herself , leaving a note accusing Hippolytus of having tried to rape her.

Is Phaedra a victim?

Phaedra is both a victim and a victimizer , which adds complexity to her character. According to the French playwright Jean Racine , Phaedra is driven by fate and the gods’ anger into a forbidden love that horrifies her more than anyone else. Her confusion is proof that her crime is...

What is the secret that Hippolytus refuses to tell?

Hippolytus enters and protests his innocence but cannot tell the truth because of the binding oath that he swore .

What is the role of fate in Phaedra?

Fate may give Phaedra the lust that she cannot help but experience (indeed, she explains it as the result of her mother’s unnatural coupling with a bull and that gave birth to the Minotaur, which — in a twist that would have made Freud smile — was killed, of course, by Theseus).

What happened to Phaedra and Apollo?

Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida

Parks filed for divorce from Nida in October 2014 after nearly five years of marriage and four seasons on RHOA. Parks and Nida, who share two sons, finalized their divorce in September 2017 after battling over spousal support and properties.

What happened when Phaedra tried to embrace Hippolytus?

Phaedra in Greek mythology, the daughter of Minos of Crete and wife of Theseus. She fell in love with her stepson Hippolytus, who rejected her, whereupon she hanged herself , leaving behind a letter which accused him of raping her.

Who wrote Phaedra?

Phaedra is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine , first performed in 1677. In Phaedra, Racine chose once more a subject from Greek mythology, already treated by Greek and Roman tragic poets, notably by Euripides in Hippolytus and Seneca.

Does Oenone commit suicide?

Bitterly jealous, Oenone refused to aid the wounded Paris during the Trojan War, even though she was the only one who could cure him. She at last gave in, but she arrived at Troy too late to save him. Overcome with grief, she committed suicide .

Who is Hippolytus in love with?

In Euripides’ tragedy Hippolytus, he was son of Theseus, king of Athens, and the Amazon Hippolyte. Theseus’ queen, Phaedra , fell in love with Hippolytus. When Phaedra’s passion was revealed to him, he reacted with such revulsion that she killed herself, leaving a note accusing Hippolytus of having tried to rape her.

Why did Phaedra and Kandi stop being friends?

After Phaedra started that rumor about Kandi, who won The Masked Singer, their friendship was immediately over. What she said not only could have damaged Kandi’s career, but her family as well. Phaedra was acting out of pettiness because she thought Kandi was taking Apollo’s side during her divorce .

Who is the tragic hero in Phedre?

The main victim in Phaedra is Hippolytus . Hippolytus from the beginning of his life was a doomed hero. He was kind hearted, gentle, innocent, and was very compassionate man but always was subordinate to others.

Who is the protagonist of Hippolytus?

Character Description Hippolytus Hippolytus is Theseus’s son, a master hunter whose arrogance about his own chastity and his full devotion to Artemis has angered Aphrodite. Read More Theseus Theseus is the king of Athens and Hippolytus’s father. Read More

How do you pronounce the name Phaedra?

The Oxford English dictionary lists ˈfeɪdrə (FAY-druh) and ˈfiːdrə (FEE-druh) as acceptable English pronunciations of Phaedra.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.