In the narratives, Hippolytus is depicted as a paragon of chastity and self-discipline, qualities that define his heroism within the cultural context of ancient Greece. His rejection of Phaedra's advances is rooted in his dedication to the goddess Artemis and his adherence to a code of moral purity. This portrayal aligns with the ideal of the male hero as one who resists temptation and remains steadfast in his principles, even at the cost of his own life. Phaedra, on the other hand, embodies the complexities of female desire within a patriarchal society. In Euripides' Hippolytus, her passion for Hippolytus is portrayed as an uncontrollable force that ultimately leads to her destruction and the downfall of Hippolytus. Her role as a woman who transgresses the boundaries of acceptable female behavior highlights the dangers of unchecked female desire, reinforcing the cultural belief that women’s emotions must be controlled and contained. The tragedy of Phaedra is not just her unfulfilled love but also the societal constraints that define her actions as inherently destructive. Pausanias' reference to the myth of Phaedra and Hippolytus, as discussed in the source, offers a more subdued version of the narrative, focusing less on the psychological torment of Phaedra and more on the broader mythological context. This difference in emphasis reflects varying cultural attitudes towards gender and heroism. While Euripides explores the inner turmoil of his characters, highlighting the destructive power of female desire, Pausanias presents a more neutral account, possibly influenced by the historical and cultural lens through which he viewed the myth. When comparing the versions of the Phaedra and Hippolytus story in Euripides and Pausanias, it is evident that Euripides' version is more focused on the emotional and psychological aspects of the characters, particularly Phaedra. Euripides' portrayal of Phaedra’s inner conflict and her ultimate decision to falsely accuse Hippolytus after he rejects her advances emphasizes the tragic consequences of her unbridled passion. In contrast, Pausanias’ version is less concerned with the emotional depth of the characters and more with the events themselves, reflecting a different approach to the narrative that is more aligned with the recording of history and myth rather than the exploration of character psychology. This difference in focus can be attributed to the cultural and political contexts in which these works were created. Euripides, writing in a period of Athenian democracy, was likely influenced by the social and philosophical debates of his time, including those related to gender and the role of women in society. Pausanias, writing in a later period, may have been more influenced by the desire to preserve and record myths as part of the cultural heritage, leading to a more straightforward recounting of the story. Comparison Between Individual Works: When comparing the story of Phaedra and Hippolytus with other similar narratives, such as the story of Joseph, we see a recurring theme of male chastity and female desire. In both stories, the male hero is depicted as morally superior, resisting the advances of a woman who is driven by passion. This resistance enhances the hero’s status as a figure of virtue and integrity, while the woman’s desire is portrayed as dangerous and destructive. However, there are also significant differences: In the story of Joseph, his refusal leads to his imprisonment, but he is ultimately vindicated and rises to a position of power. In contrast, Hippolytus’ rejection of Phaedra leads to his death, underscoring the tragic nature of Greek heroism, where even the most virtuous are not immune to the whims of fate. Lastly, Euripides' language is rich in emotional intensity, capturing the turmoil and despair that drive the characters to their tragic ends. Phaedra’s monologues, in particular, offer insight into her conflicting emotions, torn between her illicit love for Hippolytus and her sense of duty and shame. I find Pausanias’ account is more straightforward and less emotionally charged. His language is more descriptive and factual, focusing on the sequence of events rather than the inner lives of the characters. This difference in linguistic style reflects the different purposes of the texts: Euripides’ play is a work of drama intended to evoke strong emotions and provoke thought, while Pausanias’ account is more concerned with documenting the myth for posterity. To critique, however, Euripides’ use of emotionally charged language and complex character interactions can be seen as a reflection of the intellectual and cultural climate of classical Athens, where issues of gender, morality, and human nature were hotly debated. Pausanias’ more restrained language, on the other hand, reflects his role as a chronicler of myths, where the emphasis is on preservation rather than interpretation. CC BY Aarushi Attray (contact)

Coming to this point in the passage, the reader can visualize how the gods of Aprhodite and Artemis symbolize the passion of Phaedra. Aprhodite is the one making these dsires pissible to achieve and also allows that erotic desire to be met whoile Artemis idealizes the desires that cannot be enjoyed creating a lot of inner tension inside of her. It becomes even more difficult as she is a woman because she cannot just set out to meet her desire and have it be met. The theme of unattinable desire is really highlighted well in this text and how people suffer from it a cause. It is similar to someone having a crush as there is a lot of fear behind being rejected and facing trouble as a result. People cannot necessarily have the desire met leaving them in a position of longing but never actually being able to enjoy it. The divine figures in the female goddesses help emphasize the societal expectations of women and how it does not align with their own desires leading them to lead a life that may not be as fulfilling as they would like it to be. Phaedra as a tragic hero can be highlighted by the tragic ending as her demise occurs and had to suffer because of the unattainable desire that she had for Hippolytus. Unlike many other stories, the lowest point of the story happens here because Pahedra meets her demise and never got to enjoy the desire that she has always wanted. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The intense and unfulfilled desire for Hippolytus is highlighted in this section and the imagery of Phaedra gazing down while he is exercising naked shows her admiration of his physical presence and the beauty he has. Most texts do not usually have the woman gazing at the men and the social norms in this section are challenged her. It is much more acceptable to see a woman seeing a man exercise but everyone would be in rage if the genders were swapped which says a lot about society. Even having the genders swapped in this text would probably have an outcry as there would be people saying that it would be a bad influence for males. The use of the god Aphrodite suggests that Phaedra's desire for Hippolytus is divine and the influence on human emotions are inevitable because she is suffering knowing that she cannot have the desire that she is longing for. Once again we can see in this section how women are out at a disadvantage in society because they cannot simply choose the lover they want or who they can engage sex with. They must maintain their chastity until they are sure to marry someone in which they can only have their sexual desires met if it is for kids or simply for fulfilling the expectations of the first night. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The idea of Phaedra having a desire and taking on the desire of the role of a hunter and also wanting to throw a javelin reflects her wanting and yearning of wanting power and being able to have independence similar that of Artemis who is the goddess of the hunt as well. This vivid imagery and the desire of being the hunter is compelling as it suggests that there is a deep interla conflict and longing for both physical and emotional freedom. Women have been shown to want physical and emotional connections from guys much more when they do not receive a high level of affection from their parents and it is fascinating how it might connect in this reading. It shows why people must receive a lot of affection and love from their family members or else they might receive it from the wrong people who will end up taking advanateg of them. Theme of identity is highlighted more in this section as her own physical indentity is merged with the qualities of Artemis despite being a symbol of chastity and being sexually restrained as well. The duality shows how women must balance virtue with social expectations and there comes a breaking point in which they serious think about whether they care more about themself or society. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The vision or concept that Pahedra sees in herself is very compelling because there is a contrast between how she views herself and the external circumstances that affect this perception. Phaedra's own desires very much contrasts with the qualities of Artemis as she is sexually unavailable and also represents chastity. The inclusion of godes like Aprhodite and Artemis highlights the tension between sexual desires and being sexually restrained as well. There is an idealized image of Artemis that Phaedus has in mind and it shows the struggle between passion and limited pleasures. The idea of female desires is an interesting concept and goes against the social norms as Pahedra views herself as being someone like Artemis even though that god represents chastitiy. She more so desires Hippolytus and is constrained by the idea of Artemis which shows the inner tension inside of her. Something many readers do not think about is how the erotic desires of women are both wanted but also repressed because of the expectations placed on society. There are many religions and groups of people that discourage women from sex as they should "save" themselves until marriage and that they lose value if they have sex with other people before meeting someone that they can potentially marry. These ideas are challenged in this text. Women in ancient texts are very limited in what they are allowed to do and it shows how religious beliefs played a big role in this. Pahedra is so far introduced as a tragic hero so far because she must resists her own desires for the better of society and it is a constant struggle for her and it would be for anyeone. It is like healthy eating because we would all love to eat junk food but it affects our perception of ourselves and affects our apperance as well for the better or worse. Unlike other heroes, the issue the hero is facing is internal and there is no great resolution and suggests that there will be a tragic end. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)