The Women of Trachis

Question 1

Who is the author?

Answer 1

Sophocles

Question 2

Who are the characters in the story?

Answer 2

• Dienira
• Nurse
• Hyllus
• Chorus (Women of Trachis)
• Messenger
• Lichas, the Herald of Heracles
• Doctor
• Heracles

Question 3

Explain the setting of the story.

Answer 3

• This play takes place in Trachis, in front of the house of Heracles and Deianira
• This play focuses on the death of Heracles
• Heracles fought with Achelous for Dienira’s hand in marriage
• In the beginning of the story, he was a slave of omphela, a queen in lydia
• He is battle at Euobea against Eurytus who is responsible for Heracles slavery (fake story)
• real story is that he fought at Euobea for Iopa, to win her and make her his wife

Question 4

Explain the story.

Answer 4

• Dienira cannot find her husband Heracles and is worried about his death/life due to a prophecy
• send her son Hyllus to go find him
• messenger enters to tell Dienira about he victory of Heracles as proclaimed by Lichus
• Lichus arrives with a group of slave women, one of whom catches the eye of Dienira
• Dienira learns that she is soon to be Heracles new wife
• freaks out about this and send a gift with Lichus for Heracles
• she believes this gift will strenghten his passion for her and thus sway him away from marrying Iopa
• instead the gift is actually a poison which will kill him given by the centaur Nessus
• heracles wears the gift and the soon becomes sick
• knowing what she accidently did leads Deianira to kill herself