Seneca's Phaedra

 Seneca's Phaedra is a Roman tragedy that retells the ancient Greek myth of Phaedra, Hippolytus, and Theseus. It is based on earlier Greek versions, especially Euripides' Hippolytus, but with Seneca’s own intense, philosophical, and psychological style.

Phaedra is a Roman tragedy by Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, a philosopher and dramatist before 54 A.D. It is 1280 lines of verse. It is a powerful depiction of the disintegration of the character of a woman driven by desire for her stepson, Hippolytus. Her attempt to resist the passion proves futile.

Unlike the Greek version by Euripides, Seneca’s Phaedra is more focused on psychological conflict, rhetorical speeches, and Stoic philosophy, showing how passion can ruin reason.

Phaedra, daughter of Minos, king of Crete, was married to Theseus, the king of Athens. She has two sons and a kingdom to manage as her husband has gone on an expedition to the underworld to help his friend Pirithous carry off Persephone, wife of Pluto, king of Hades. Four years have passed; still, no news about Theseus has reached her ears. Like the common people, she also believes that those who have once gone there can never come back to earth. So,  she is terribly anxious. She also feels extremely lonely. She is also angry with Theseus because he has not kept his marriage vows by giving her regular company. This gives rise to the suspicion that Theseus has gone there in search of 'lust and lawless marriage'.  Then,  she is tormented by a secret and unnatural love for her stepson Hippolytus.

Hippolytus was the son of Theseus and Antiope, the queen of Amazonsn, is an important character in Seneca's tragedy Phaedra. Hippolytus is a noble, virtuous, young man who doesn't like women or love at all. He prefers hunting, nature, and living a clean, pure life. his position is undoubtedly lower than Theseus, king of Athens, but as a character contributing to the tragic elements of the play, his position is higher than him. A believer in certain upright principles, he does not want to be trodden for the sake of easy gain. Although he had to pay heavily for the in the end, it undoubtedly elevates him to a very high position in the estimate of the people. 

While Theseus is away in the underworld, Phaedra confesses her love to Hippolytus- but he is horrified and rejects her. Phaedra knows that her love is wrong. She's scared and ashamed of it, and at first, she tries to fight it. She talks to her old nurse about her feelings. The nurse says love can't be controlled and offers to help her. Together, they try to get Hippolytus to love Phaedra back.

     But when the nurse ( an elderly woman acting as governess or companion in charge of a girl or young woman of a respectable family) tells Hippolytus that Phaedra loves him, he is shocked and disgusted by such unnatural passion. He rejects her completely. 

Phaedra is terrified that Hippolytus will tell her husband, so she decides to lie. She tells Theseus that Hippolytus tried to attack her. Fearing disgrace, she decides to accuse him of trying to rape her.

Theseus returns from the underworld and finds Phaedra devastated. She falsely accuses Hippolytus of assaulting her. .Theseus becomes furious. He calls upon the sea god Neptune (Poseidon)—his father—to punish his son, Hippolytus. Soon after, a sea monster appears and causes Hippolytus’s chariot to crash. He dies a terrible death.

Later, Phaedra is filled with guilt. She tells the truth—that Hippolytus was innocent—and then she kills herself out of shame.

This story shows how dangerous uncontrolled emotions can be. Phaedra’s forbidden love, her guilt, her lies—all of it leads to tragedy. Hippolytus, even though innocent, dies because of a lie. Seneca wanted to show how passion can destroy people if we don't use reason and self-control.