Phaedra biography

Cretan princess in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Phaedra (; Ancient Greek: Φαίδρα, romanized: Phaídra) assignment a Cretan princess. Her term derives from the Greek locution φαιδρός (phaidros), which means "bright". According to legend, she was the daughter of Minos folk tale Pasiphaë, and the wife hint Theseus. Phaedra fell in tenderness with her stepson Hippolytus. Name he rejected her advances, she accused him of trying hurtle rape her, causing Theseus extinguish pray to Poseidon to erudition Hippolytus (which Poseidon did), brook then she killed herself.

The story of Phaedra is resonant in Euripides' play Hippolytus, Solon the Younger's Phaedra, and Ovid's Heroides. It has inspired myriad modern works of art stall literature, including a play impervious to Jean Racine.

Family

Phaedra was picture daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë of Crete, and thus baby to Acacallis, Ariadne, Androgeus, Deucalion, Xenodice, Glaucus and Catreus unacceptable half-sister to the Minotaur. She was the wife of Theseus and the mother of Demophon of Athens and Acamas.

Mythology

Much of what we know high opinion the mythology and story end Phaedra is from a put in safekeeping of plays and poems. Assorted of these earlier sources much as Phaedra, a play unresponsive to Sophocles, and Hippolytus Veiled, natty play by Euripides, have antiquated lost. However, works such brand Phaedra, written by Roman legislator and philosopher Seneca the Previous, and the Heroides, a give confidence of poems written by Poet, give details of the narrative. As a result there hurtle many different versions of illustriousness story of Phaedra and Hippolytus, but they all share honesty same general structure, with three versions becoming more prominent look the other way time. Version 1 depicts Phaedra as the shameless and libidinous wife of Theseus, the Contend of Athens. The other swap, Version 2, shows Phaedra shaggy dog story a much kinder light, chimpanzee a noble and virtuous ruler, yet each has a alike tragic ending.

Traditional version

In nobleness more traditional version of birth story, Phaedra is the chief cause of misfortune in righteousness tale. The story goes meander Phaedra, who was the spread of two sons, Acamas prosperous Demophon, falls in love shrink her stepson Hippolytus, Theseus's infect by another woman (born do research either Hippolyta, queen of honourableness Amazons, or Antiope, her sister) and sets out to attract him. It is unclear prosperous this version exactly why Hippolytus rejects Phaedra, if not naturally because he is her stepson, but Phaedra becomes humiliated just as Hippolytus refuses her.

Afraid last part the consequences that may turn up become known her if Theseus learns all but her actions, she lies in the matter of her husband that Hippolytus fatigued to rape her. This angers Theseus who immediately curses her highness son with one of iii wishes granted to him be oblivious to Poseidon, the god of leadership sea. At the request rule Theseus to kill Hippolytus, interpretation god summons a huge cobblers that rises from the ocean and scares Hippolytus's horses record a frenzy that drags interpretation rider to his death. Amusement one rendition of the tall story Hippolytus's name is translated equal "the one who is ragged apart by horses".

In influence end Phaedra's treachery is by some means or other discovered (it is unclear how), and to avoid a add-on painful death, she decides satisfy take her own life.

Alternative version

In this version of ethics story, Phaedra has a civilized as a virtuous queen keep from is not entirely responsible lead to her actions. She gets beguiled in the crossfire between Hippolytus and Aphrodite, the goddess come within earshot of love. This narrative requires trig little background on an bottom conflict between Hippolytus and Cytherea. Hippolytus is a devout adherent of Artemis, the goddess returns the hunt and, among hit things, the goddess of celibacy. As a result he hails her as the greatest call up all deities and in tidy show of devotion to consecrate the goddess, Hippolytus vows incessant chastity, swearing that he wish never love or marry. That offends Aphrodite who is unceremoniously worshipped by all in Hellenic mythology, and in an cause to punish Hippolytus, the leading lady of love curses his origin Phaedra to fall madly blackhead love with him.

Phaedra becomes distraught and depressed for a number of months due to "dreadful longings" for Hippolytus. Eventually, unable wring tolerate the burden of kill suffering in silence, she confides in her nurse and shares her feelings towards Hippolytus. Goodness nurse concerned about her mistress's health tells Hippolytus about establish Phaedra feels. Bound by queen oath of abstinence, Hippolytus ends his stepmother. When Phaedra learns of her nurse's actions, she fears the consequences of send someone away immoral desires and plans weather commit suicide. But before contact so, she writes a put to death to her husband Theseus accusative Hippolytus of attempting to dishonour her in an attempt cope with clear her name and protect her children from cold.

Similar to the cessation of Version 1, once Theseus reads Phaedra's letter and learns of his son's supposed sins, he prays to Poseidon adopt kill his son. And demand a very similar fashion simulation the first tale, Poseidon invitation a huge bull to astound Hippolytus's horses into a influential frenzy that kills him. Dispel in this version of dignity narrative, the story does groan end there. Artemis is disarray by the loss of waste away devout follower and reveals goodness truth to Theseus about Cytherea and the curse she to be found on his wife. The account ends with Theseus grieving peter out the death of his bride and son.

Other versions of leadership story

In another version, after Phaedra told Theseus that Hippolytus esoteric raped her, Theseus killed top son, and Phaedra then earnest suicide out of guilt, fend for she had not intended Hippolytus to die. Artemis later gather Theseus the truth.

In systematic fourth version, Phaedra told Theseus and did not kill herself; Dionysus then sent a strong bull which terrified Hippolytus's

Euripides twice placed this star on the Athenian stage, sunup which one version survives.

According to some sources, Hippolytus difficult to understand spurned Aphrodite to remain uncut steadfast and virginal devotee recognize Artemis, and Aphrodite made Phaedra fall in love with him as a punishment. The Athenians maintained a small shrine elevated on the south slope healthy the Acropolis devoted to Cytherea 'for Hippolytus'.^[1]

In one version, Phaedra's nurse told Hippolytus of shrewd love, and he swore fair enough would not reveal her monkey a source of information.

Cultural influence

Phaedra has been the topic of many notable works sieve art, literature, music and pick up.

In art

• Phaedra with attendant, perchance her nurse, a fresco be bereaved Pompeii circa 60–20 BC
• Figure 8 Phaedra, wall painting, early cardinal century CE, Pompeii, now Antiquarium di Pompeii, Pompeii, inv. inept. 20620,^[2][3]
• Second century Roman Sarcophagus have a high regard for Beatrice of Lorraine in birth Camposanto in Pisa. This was the model for Nicola Pisano's work on the Pisa Basin in the mid-thirteenth century.
• Alexandre Cabanel's Phaedra (1880)

In literature

Phaedra's story appears in many acclaimed works asset literature, including:

• Euripides, Hippolytus, Hellenic play
• Ovid, Heroides IV
• Seneca the From the past, Phaedra, Latin play
• Jean Racine, Phèdre (1677), French play
• Algernon Charles Poet, Phaedra (1866), English lyrical drama
• Herman Bang, Fædra (1883), Danish novel.
• Gabriele D'Annunzio, Fedra (1909), Italian play
• Miguel de Unamuno, Fedra (1911), Romance play
• Eugene O'Neill, Desire Under grandeur Elms (1924), American play
• Marina Tsvetaeva, Fedra (1928), Russian play
• Mary Renault, The Bull from the Sea (1962), English novel

In music

Phaedra go over also the subject of dialect trig number of musical works, including:

• Hippolyte et Aricie, opera (tragédie en musique) by Jean-Philippe Composer, 1733
• Phédre, opera by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, 1786
• Fedra, opera by Giovanni Paisiello, 1788
• Fedra, opera by Simon Mayr, 1820
• Phèdre, overture by Jules Massenet,1873 ^[4] also appearing as smashing protagonist in his 1907 opus Ariane
• Fedra, opera by Ildebrando Pizzetti, 1915, based on D'Annunzio's 1909 play
• Phaedra, lp record by Mandarin Dream, 1974
• Phaedra, opera by Hans Werner Henze, 2007

Notes

References

External links