osopher and playwright, wrote
“Phaedra” around 50 A.D. It is one of his famous tragedies based on Greek myth. The play presents forbidden love, guilt, lies, and death. Though the main story is about passion, revenge plays a strong role too. The revenge in “Phaedra” is both divine and human. The goddess Venus takes revenge on Phaedra’s family, and Theseus takes revenge on his son. Thus, “Phaedra” becomes a true revenge tragedy.
Divine Revenge by Venus: The tragedy begins with the revenge of Venus. She punishes Phaedra’s family because of her old anger toward the Sun god. Phaedra says,
“Venus, detesting the offspring of the hated Sun, is avenging through us.”
This line shows that the curse of Venus causes all suffering. Phaedra’s unnatural love for Hippolytus is not her choice; it is divine revenge. The goddess uses Phaedra as a tool to punish the family. Seneca shows that divine revenge can destroy even the innocent and make humans helpless before fate.
Phaedra’s Revenge on Hippolytus: After Hippolytus rejects Phaedra with harsh words, her wounded pride turns into revenge. She feels insulted by his purity and hate. He says,
“Away with thy impure touch from my chaste body.”
This rejection fills Phaedra with shame and anger. When the Nurse falsely cries that Hippolytus attacked the queen, Phaedra stays silent. Her silence becomes her revenge. She lets the lie destroy him. Phaedra’s revenge comes from her hurt heart. Seneca shows how love can turn into anger and how revenge grows from wounded desire.
Theseus’ Revenge on Hippolytus: When Theseus returns and hears the Nurse’s lie, he believes it and curses Hippolytus. He calls on Neptune for revenge, crying,
“Now fulfill the sad boon, O ruler of the sea! Let Hippolytus see the bright day no more,...”
His words bring his son’s death. This act is the most direct revenge in the play. Theseus does not search for truth. His anger and pride control his heart. Seneca presents him as a father blinded by emotion. His revenge shows how quick judgment and uncontrolled wrath can destroy love, family, and justice.
Phaedra’s Revenge on Herself: At the end, Phaedra takes revenge on herself. Her guilt becomes unbearable. She kills herself to punish her sin. Before dying, she admits her lie and says the truth about Hippolytus. Her death is both revenge and repentance. She says,
“This is the only way, the one sole escape from evil.”
Through suicide, she frees her soul from shame. Seneca makes her death a tragic form of moral revenge. Her death restores justice but also shows how sin and falsehood finally punish the sinner.
Moral and Philosophical Revenge: Seneca was a Stoic philosopher, so his idea of revenge is moral, not only emotional. He shows that passion and guilt bring their own punishment. The Chorus says,
“Fate without order rules the affairs of men.”
It means that moral law controls the universe. Every wrong act returns as revenge. Phaedra’s love, Hippolytus’ pride, and Theseus’ anger all meet their punishment. Thus, the play’s revenge is not just personal—it is cosmic. Seneca teaches that revenge comes naturally when reason loses control and passion rules.
In termination, we can say that “Phaedra” is not only a tragedy of love but also of revenge. Venus’s curse, Phaedra’s silence, and Theseus’s fury all bring destruction. The divine, personal, and moral revenge together form the tragic end. Seneca uses revenge to show the fall of reason and the victory of passion. Thus, “Phaedra” becomes a powerful revenge tragedy filled with guilt, anger, punishment, and moral lessons.
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