Phaedra: Study Questions Flashcards
What is achieved by starting the play with Hippolytus’ speech?
The opening speech reveals Hippolytus’ character, his loyalty to his father Theseus, and sets the tone for the play’s themes of duty and love.
What do we learn about the character and history of Theseus from the initial exchange between Hippolytus and Theramenes? What is Hippolytus’ attitude to his father?
We learn that Theseus is absent, leaving Hippolytus to handle matters. Hippolytus views his father as noble but distant, highlighting a strained father-son relationship.
What is the significance of Phaedra’s genealogy?
Phaedra’s royal lineage and connections to tragic myths emphasize her inherited fate and the doomed nature of her desires, linking her to classical themes of fate and family curses.
In what ways does the political disruption reflect the disruption within and between the main characters?
The political instability mirrors the emotional turmoil of the characters, especially Phaedra’s forbidden love and Hippolytus’ struggle between loyalty and passion.
What is the dramatic function of the servants in this play?
The servants, like Oenone, act as catalysts for the plot, providing exposition, manipulating the characters, and sometimes acting as unwitting agents of tragedy.
How does Oenone precipitate the tragedy? To what extent is she responsible for the deaths of the protagonists?
Oenone encourages Phaedra to confess her love to Hippolytus, which sets the tragic events in motion. She plays a key role in the characters’ downfall, though the responsibility is shared with Phaedra’s actions.
How important is the concept of honour to Phaedra? To Oenone?
Honour is central to Phaedra, as she struggles with her desire and her reputation. Oenone, too, values honour but is more willing to manipulate it for her purposes.
How does Racine use the image of the monster in the play? What other patterns of images are there?
The “monster” imagery represents forbidden desires and guilt, while other images include illness and darkness, highlighting the moral and emotional corruption within the characters.
Consider the use of dramatic or Sophoclean irony in Phaedra.
The play uses dramatic irony, as the audience knows Phaedra’s feelings for Hippolytus, while the characters are unaware, heightening the tension and tragedy.
Are the gods instrumental in the fate of the protagonists? How are the gods portrayed?
The gods are influential, particularly in controlling fate. They are portrayed as distant and indifferent, contributing to the characters’ sense of helplessness.
Is justice enacted at the end?
Justice is served in a tragic sense, as Phaedra dies, Hippolytus is killed, and Theseus is left to mourn, but the tragic consequences show that justice in the play is more about inevitability than fairness.
What is the attitude to authority, to power, to ambition in Phaedra?
Authority is depicted as rigid and oppressive, especially with Theseus’ distant rule. Ambition is explored through Phaedra’s desire, which disrupts the natural order and leads to tragedy.
