Classic mom falls for her son

I read of the story in Seneca’s drama Phaedra, yet to me Euripides’ Hippolytus has a real superiority, in general because of the final Theseus-Hippolytus conversation, the concerns with shame and reputation, and aidos, and the intense portrait of a lawless passion connected to Eros and Aphrodite, and more.

Despite the noble act of forgiveness advocated in the final moments, I found this drama to be mostly lacking energy and emotional verve. I think part of the reason was the choice to keep Theseus from entering until halfway through the drama. I realize that he must be “away” from certain events to transpire, but we are left with little development of his relationship with either Hippolytus or Phaedra. The other problem I had was the Hippolytus is actually the least interesting character in the drama. Since we know what will happen from almost the beginning, the real meat of this play is the interaction between Phaedra and the Nurse, leaving the final half of the play to be mostly anticlimactic.

Когда захотелось кого-то помоложе, но у парня отношения с Артемидой, а у Афродиты своеобразное чувство юмора.

3.5⭐

Once again, the gods ruin everyone's lives and also cause their tragic death by execution or suicide. Sucks being an ancient Greek.

Hippolytus worships Artemis, the Virgin goddess and out of devotion remains chaste. Aphrodite considers this as a personal affront and decides to avenge herself against him by causing his stepmother, Phaedra, to fall in love with him.

While his father, Theseus is away, Phaedra, after spending pages lamenting her lot and helpless desire confides to her nurse, who then tells Hippolytus. Hippolytus then embarks on his own lengthy soliloquy, railing against the wretched nature of women and their inferiority. He's so ugly about it that I almost didn't care what was about to happen to him, the jerk.

But it isn't fair what happens. Theseus comes home to find his wife has hanged herself. She has left a tablet on which she has written that Hippolytus has raped her. Theseus is enraged and exiles his son, then calls upon his father, Poseidon to avenge him, which he obligingly does, proving that the Greek gods are not omniscient or Poseidon would have known Hippolytus was innocent. Then again, considering how he treated Odysseus, maybe he's just a sorry sapsucker.

Naturally Artemis comes to inform Theseus of the truth of the matter after its too late. Theseus rushes to his dying son, who forgives him.

It's interesting to me how often mankind is shown to have greater honor and virtue than the gods in many of these plays and sagas.

The chorus plays a small role in this play, only occasionally inserting a third person narrative, usually a lament.

All of the Greek plays I have read so far seem to implicitly describe a great force that draws mankind like an inexorable twine of steel along a predestined path. Plays are mostly dialogue, but through the words one can hear the cry of one being forced to travel a line of destiny through a travesty of events that cause their doom.

I wonder how they arrived at this conclusion? Could it be the result of ancient peoples turning from their authentic Creator and worshiping false gods and ultimately becoming enslaved by their own falsehood?

idk why i'm shocked when everybody dies in a greek tragedy when it's LITERALLY in the title

This was the only play, of the 19 that survive, that Euripides got 1st prize for.
My favorite tragedy in college, rereading this 30 years later was so much better. Give this a slow read, preferably allowed. Also research who Phaedra was and Theseus' prior affairs for more context.

Μοναδικός.
Ουδέν περαιτέρω σχόλιο.

Maybe it was the translator, maybe it’s Euripides, or maybe it was the story, but I enjoyed this play immensely, especially the split between the female dominated start and the male dominated ending.

11/8/2019
I'm not too sure if I will add a complete review to this one, but I didn't like the depiction of most characters.

ثم أليس العاشقون في أشدّ حاجة إلى الأصدقاء عندما يكون الموت على البابِ قريب؟ إنّ أفروديت لا ترحم عندما تكون غَضوب، إنّها تلاحق الوديع في سكينة، ثم إنّ
.وجدت قنصها عنيدًا وله خيال خصب، أنشبت فيه أظفارها وسحقته، لا تَخيب، تذهب في الجو عَصفًا وفي خضم البحار، كلٌ لها مستجيب
.احتمل الحب فهو إرداة من ربة لا تُذمّ