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ellamgh's review
3.0
You'd have thought that mortals would have learned by now to never slight the gods.
kinginthedork's review
4.0
Yet all the spirit within me Faints, when I watch men's deeds matched with the guerdon they find. For Good comes in Evil's traces, And the Evil the Good replaces; And Life, 'mid the changing faces, Wandereth weak and blind.
nickc777's review
3.0
Plot summary:
Hippolytus, son of Theseus, angers Aphrodite by his insistence on celibacy, and she visits revenge on him in return. She curse Theseus’ wife Phaedra to love him - when her love is unwillingly revealed to her son in law, she commits suicide and claims it was Hippolytus who loved her in order to maintain honour. Theseus curses Hippolytus - on Hipp.’s deathbed Artemis reveals the truth, that Aphrodite brought about the destruction of the entire house.
The play in this summary seems as if Hipp would be set up as purely a victim, and Aphrodite only cruel, yet in the fact Hippolytus is an abrasive and rude character. Much like Pentheus in the Bacchae, he is highly unlikeavle, yet his punishment is undeserved. Perhaps the point of the play is moderation - neither Hipp, nor Phaedra are presented well in their handling of love, and it is Theseus’ brash action without consideration that Artemis condemns.
Hippolytus, son of Theseus, angers Aphrodite by his insistence on celibacy, and she visits revenge on him in return. She curse Theseus’ wife Phaedra to love him - when her love is unwillingly revealed to her son in law, she commits suicide and claims it was Hippolytus who loved her in order to maintain honour. Theseus curses Hippolytus - on Hipp.’s deathbed Artemis reveals the truth, that Aphrodite brought about the destruction of the entire house.
The play in this summary seems as if Hipp would be set up as purely a victim, and Aphrodite only cruel, yet in the fact Hippolytus is an abrasive and rude character. Much like Pentheus in the Bacchae, he is highly unlikeavle, yet his punishment is undeserved. Perhaps the point of the play is moderation - neither Hipp, nor Phaedra are presented well in their handling of love, and it is Theseus’ brash action without consideration that Artemis condemns.
fatzbrekker's review
2.0
I had to read this for college and surprisingly enjoyed it. Some parts actually made me laugh, I'd definitely recommend to those who enjoy Greek history !!
s_books's review
3.0
Euripides seems to have a problem with writing sympathetic female characters, including Phaedra in this play: even when things are not her fault she still must be at fault. The first half of this play really should be Phaedra, not Hippolytus--he hardly appears at all until the final scene.