Who is the protagonist in Phaedra?
Furthermore, who is the protagonist in Hippolytus?
The Plot. The play's main character, Hippolytus, is the son of the Athenian hero, Theseus. Theseus' wife and Hippolytus' stepmother, Phaedra, harbors a secret love for Hippolytus. This love was unnatural; it was fostered by the goddess of love, Aphrodite, as revenge against Hippolytus.
Then, is Phaedra a victim or victimizer?
Phaedra is both a victim and a victimizer, which adds complexity to her character. According to the French playwright Jean Racine, Phaedra is driven by fate and the gods' anger into a forbidden love that horrifies her more than anyone else.
In a third version, Phaedra told Theseus and did not kill herself; Dionysus then sent a wild bull which terrified Hippolytus's horses. According to some sources, Hippolytus had spurned Aphrodite to remain a steadfast and virginal devotee of Artemis, and Aphrodite made Phaedra fall in love with him as a punishment.