Like in Euripides, Hippolyte does not desire Phaedra, but he is capable of desire, and like all of Racine's characters, even though love can feel like an uncontrollable force, humans are not merely manipulated by the gods -- they must bear the consequences of their actions as souls in this Christian understanding of the myth. Phaedra's language, although the play is set in ancient times, is explicitly Christian, as she speaks of her desire "To banish the enemy who made me an idolater," in her efforts to banish Hippolyte. ("Phaedra," translated by Tony Kline, line 294)
In terms of fatherly betrayal, while it is also true in Euripides that Hippolyte does not wish to dishonor his father, what is of greater concern to the young man is the honor he owes to the goddess Artemis, to whose chastity he has consecrated himself in a sacred fashion. This honor comes not from purity of thought, but in terms of making sacrifices to the gods and honoring their temples on earth. But Hippolyte loves and respects his father in Racine more than he talks of the divine: "Stop, dear Theramenes, show Theseus some respect," he shouts, even when most angry with his father. ("Phaedra," translated by Tony Kline, line 23) In contrast, Hippolytus in Euripides version, although the young man cares for his father, is much less internally tormented: He loves Artemis more than he loves any of the other characters in the play. "For thee, O mistress mine, I bring this woven wreath, culled from a virgin meadow, where nor shepherd dares to herd his flock nor ever scythe hath mown, but o'er the mead unshorn the bee doth wing its way in spring; and with the dew from rivers drawn purity that garden tends." (Euripides, "Hippolytus," MIT Classics Archive) Euripides' Phaedra in turn gives similar homage to Aphrodite.
But Phaedra in Racine works actively, internally to extinguish her love for Hippolyte rather than simply honoring or calling upon the gods. But rather than abandoning herself to passion, as she does in Euripides, Phaedra in Racine is much more controlled, initially, putting on a show of despising the boy so she may drive him away from her...
Euripides' tragedy of "Hippolytus": Phaedra as a plaything of the gods Euripides' tragedy of "Hippolytus" is a tragedy of paganism, at least on its surface. The work details the conflict between Hippolytus, the noble son of Theseus who honors the goddess of chastity and the hunt Artemis and his new stepmother Phaedra, who honors Aphrodite above all other goddesses. When Phaedra falls in love with Hippolytus he is repulsed not simply because
Jean Racine's Phaedra is an example of French neoclassical tragedy, which means that it observes certain formal rules of construction. For a start, Racine uses a classical model: in this case, it is the Athenian tragedy Hippolytus, by Euripides, whose basic plot is adapted by Racine. But the larger compositional procedure in neoclassical tragedy involves what is termed "observing the unities." This is a rule from Aristotle's Poetics, the
Gradually the Greek hero recognizes (peripeteia) that his visitors are the hated Greeks who once abandoned him, in disguise. Philoctetes denounces the foul plot and demands back his bow, realizing once again he is alone in the world. (anagnorisis) In Euripides, "Hippolytus," pity and fear (pathos) is evoked by Phaedra's unbridled passion for her stepson Hippolytus. The recognition element of the drama (peripeteia) comes when both Phaedra and Hippolytus see
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Imagination, Faith, And Reason Truth is an intangible idea that people have tried to get a grasp on since the dawn of time. It is often hard to determine what is true and what is false and how to categorize the things that are seen and done. Part of the reason is that truth is potentially subjective and determined by the society in which the question of truth is asked. Artists
Eugene O'Neill's play, "The Emperor Jones (1921)," is the horrifying story of Rufus Jones, the monarch of a West Indian island, presented in a single act of eight scenes of violence and disturbing images. O'Neill's sense of tragedy comes out undiluted in this surreal and nightmarish study of Jones' character in a mighty struggle and tension between black Christianity and black paganism (IMBD). Jones is an unforgettable character in his
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