HIPPOLYTUS BY EURIPIDES
The first reading of Euripides' Hippolytus generates an irresistible urgeto see Hippolytus as the tragic protagonist. After all, he was the one whosuffered all his life under the stigma of being an illegitimate child anddied believing his father was a just and kind man though he was not. And ontop of that, he met a very tragic death and was accused of something henever did. In short, Hippolytus had some major traits of a tragic heroincluding the fact that the people he loved killed him for a sin he hadnever committed. But on second and a much closer reading, it appears thatwhile Hippolytus is no doubt a tragic figure, he isn't the tragic herobecause he lacks the basic tragic flaw that actually brought on thedownfall of our major tragic protagonists in literature.From Brutus to King Lear to Willy Loman, every tragic hero had a tragicflaw responsible for his downfall. But Hippolytus' character had that oneflaw missing. So in many ways he was like Julius Caser who sufferedimmensely when his own friend conspired against him and accused ofsomething that he had not done. But then Caesar was not our tragic hero; itwas Brutus who qualified for that role since he had the tragic flaw that
For one, Phaedra was amanipulative seductress who fell in love with the son of her husband andsecondly after she failed to seduce Hippolytus, she accuses him of rape andcreates a whole plot against him that results in his highly undeserveddeath. His tragic flaw is his lack of patience and thus an inability tolisten to both sides of the story before taking a decision. Theseus of Euripides is not the wise king or defender of the oppressedpopulation, instead he is a foolish and even violent father whosehastiness, extreme passion and refusal to hear please of clemency resultedin the untimely and extremely tragic death of son. As for Phaedra, everyone can see why she was nota tragic figure or a tragic heroine for that matter. She did what most people in her position and withher power would do i. Inmuch the same way Theseus appears to be cold and unyielding father whorefuses to heed his son's pleas for clemency and curses him to death. Hippolytus knew that reason why Phaedra hadaccused him of rape and sexual advances but had promised the Nurse that hewouldn't tell anyone about it being a man of honor. So when Theseus demandsto know the truth, Hippolytus is defenseless and that only adds fuel tofire. Theseus feels that Hippolytus' apologies come from a guilty heartespecially in the absence of evidence to the contrary. But he reminds us of King Lear who was equally foolish, rash inhis decisions and undeserving of our respect or pity in the beginning buthe later turns all this against himself and invites misery upon himself. Theseus' tragic flaw costs him the life of hisdear son coupled with extreme guilt for conspiring against him and forcondemning his own flesh and blood to an agonizing death. accuse the other person of sexual advances havinglost anhy hope of getting their love. However there is one point that goes in her favor i. In fact theactual tragic protagonist was his father Theseus who is victim of blindpassion and lacks the ability to be patient and wise.
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