Phaedra

Background

• Racine (1639-99)
  • Court dramatist
  • Also served as court historian
• Aristocratic drama style
  • Three unities - time, place, and action
  • Imitatio - Mirror of nature (aristocratic nature)

Character Themes - Passion vs. Reason

• Phaedra (Passion)
  • A bestial past (Minotaur)
  • Phaedra "wins" Theseus
  • Love for Hippolytus consumes her reason
  • What she will do to gain Hippolytus's love
• Theseus (Royal Power)
  • Zeus-like authority, tempered by compassion
  • The King's burden
  • When the King is away…
• Hippolytus: Love (Aricia) vs. Loyalty (father)
• Aricia (Rational)
  • Her love and actions tempered by reason
  • Her love verses Phaedra's
• The ending
  • Lessons learned
  • Victory of reason over passion

Act I Groundwork and History

• Phaedra sick with love
• Blame game
• Hippolytus loves Aricia
• Father vs. Son
• Struggle for power
• Struggle between public manners and private passions

Act II When the King's Away

• King (royal order) is absent
• Phaedra's bargaining chip
• The Phallic

Act III Entanglement

• Phaedra attempts a deal
• Blame game continues

Act IV Cover-up

• Oenone helps out
• The curse - Be careful what you ask for…..you may get it
• Scornful Woman
• Blame game turns violent

Act V Resolution

• Hippolytus finally performs a great deed
• Phaedra's suicide "confessional"
• Theseus reconciliation

The Opera

• Aspects of opera style
• Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie

Humanities Resource of Mark Hunter