Hippolytus: Greek Tragedy Study

Hippolytus: Greek Tragedy Study Summary and Myth The Greek tragedy of Hippolytus, by Euripides, focuses on the title character’s story, as well as many others around him. The story takes place in the Greek coastal town of Troezen. Hippolytus is the bastard son of Theseus, the king of Athens. At the beginning of the play, Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, explains that Hippolytus has sworn chastity and refuses to revere her. Instead, he chooses to honor Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt. Artemis is also a Goddess of chastity, which essentially opposed Aphrodite completely. This causes Aphrodite to initiate a plan of vengeance on Hippolytus. Two years previous to this play, Hippolytus went to Athens, and Aphrodite inspired Phaedra, Hippolytus' stepmother, to fall in love with him knowing that it would anger Theseus. Along with several followers, Hippolytus shows reverence towards Artemis while passing her statue, who is a chaste Goddess. A servant warns Hippolytus against his disdain for Aphrodite, but to the servant’s dismay, he refuses to listen. After the opening scene, a chorus of women enter, and describe the queen, Phaedra, as being very ill. She refuses to eat, drink, or sleep for unknown reasons, as the nurse pleads with her to get the truth. After long discussion and pleading with Phaedra, she gives in to the nurse’s demands and reveals that she is in love with Hippolytus. The chorus and nurse are shocked, and Phaedra also tells why she is starving herself; so she can die with her honor still intact. The nurse “cures” her, then goes to find Hippolytus. He enters, and the nurse makes him swear an oath that he will never tell what he is about to ascertain. After he swears, the nurse reveals of Phaedra’s intentions, and that she is in love with him. Hippolytus gives a hate filled misogynistic rant on the “poisonous” nature of women, then leaves. Phaedra then believes she is ruined, because the secret is out. She makes the chorus of women swear secrecy to