Characterize Phaedra in terms of her sense of morality

We often think of morality in terms of right versus wrong or good versus evil. If a person chooses wisely and makes good decisions, they have morals, but if a person is evil then they have no sense of morality. Phaedra’s situation is complicated and cannot easily be characterized in terms of good versus evil. While she knows it is wrong to love her stepson and tries to hide these feelings, she makes bad decisions during the course of the play which eventually lead to her death, and the death of Hippolytus. Although Phaedra is a good person and knows right from wrong, her sense of morality does come into question which unfortunately produces a terrible outcome. If a person knows right from wrong, yet still cannot control their urges or impulses, this doesn’t necessarily make them evil or lacking morals, as in the case of Phaedra.

Phaedra is married to Theseus, yet is in love with his son Hippolytus. Very early on in the play we can see that Phaedra is tormented by this love and knows it is wrong. In order to prevent herself from acting on these feelings, she has Hippolytus banished from their kingdom. “O heavy weight of misery! My eyes beheld the son in the father’s countenance. At length I dared to rebel against mysel

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Enone proceeds to tell Theseus of Hippolytus’s love for Phaedra and of course Theseus is outraged. He was not guilty…It was I who cast upon your chaste and modest son unholy and incestuous eyes. Once again we can see that Phaedra is horrified at her love for Hippolytus, and knows it is morally wrong to love him. At this point, nothing has been revealed to the reader to show that Phaedra is in any way immoral. Is it a great mischance to cease to live? Death has no terrors for the unfortunate, I only fear the name I leave behind me. Phaedra…but no, great Gods! In deep oblivion may this horrid secret remain entombed!” (1484). Theseus is so angered by what he believes to be a betrayal by his son, he banishes him. Although banishing Hippolytus from the kingdom is not the act of someone we would consider to have great morals, Phaedra knows this is the only way to hide her secret. This statement is very important because it shows us that not only does Phaedra realize she was wrong for allowing Enone to talk her into following this disastrous plan, but that even though this was the path she wished to take, she could have prevented it, thus holding onto her sense of morality.

After hearing of Aricia and Hyppolytus’s love, and of the strange behavior of Phaedra, Theseus wishes to speak to Enone and Hippolytus again to clear things up. She feels that the Gods are forcing her to love him against her will. She knows her love for Hippolytus is wrong and has taken action to hide it. A criminal love was cause of all her hatred” (1492).

Approximate Word count = 1682
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

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