Phaedra

Origin

From Ancient Greek Φαίδρα.

The myth has been retold several times, in plays (in classical times in Euripides and , later in ), and more recently in other media.

Full definition of Phaedra

Proper noun

1. (mythology) The wife of Theseus, who falls in love with but is spurned by her stepson Hippolytus, then commits suicide, but is the cause of his later death (details vary between versions).
• 1981, Normand Berlin, The Secret Cause: A Discussion of Tragedy, page 46,We notice that Racine's Phaedra, like Euripides', displays high moral dignity because she considers her passion for Hippolytus to be abominable.
• 1993, Albert S. Gérard, The Phaedra Syndrome: Of Shame and Guilt in Drama, page 20,Why did Seneca decide to postpone his own Phaedra’s suicide until after Hippolytus' death? The question is by no means as futile as it may sound.
• 2003, Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood, Tragedy and Athenian Religion, page 331,I may add that the notion that Aphrodite is especially cruel because she destroyed Phaedra, who was an innocent victim, since she had no choice, is not a perception that would have been shared by the ancient audience. Not only is it at the very least arguable—in fact likely—that in ancient eyes Phaedra did have a choice,¹⁶⁶ but also the very notions "innocent victim since she had no choice" and "cruel because destroying an innocent victim" are unstable cultural concepts.
2. (rare) .
3. (astronomy) The asteroid 174 Phaedra.

Derived terms

• Phaedra complex