Sexism and Misogyny in Euripides Hippolytus

Euripides is one of the most well-known playwrights of classical stage. His plays were some of the first of their kind, and known for their new use of staging and for pushing the envelope. Those who saw his plays knew they were in for a treat as soon as they got to the theatre. However, for all of his fans, Euripides was also disliked by his peers for his depiction of Greek Gods. Often being chastised for his portrayal of them as common and fickle. In the modern world, Euripides is both heralded for his use of language, but hated by many scholars for his blatant misogyny towards women. In this paper, I will show several examples of how Euripides exhibited blatant sexism towards women specifically in his play Hippolytus.

First, we must think about the time in which Hippolytus was written. Written in 428 BC, Greek society was organized into a Patriarchy which supported the city states Greece was divided into. Women were looked at a second class citizens and property, responsible for causing destruction around them and only good for keeping house. They were never given the right to own property and some could not leave the house without the permission from their husband or father. Because of this, the expected attitude was that women are inferior and they we’re often made fun of in Greek theatre. This can be seen in Aristophanes’ Lysistrata. As discussed in class, one of the main reasons this play was considered a comedy is because it was regarded as fantasy. People of the day knew that it would never happen.

The idea of women getting together and exercising body autonomy was unheard of and therefore impossible. Once the lenses from which to view this play has been set, one can properly understand why this play is so problematic in its view of women. Firstly, the play starts with Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, upset because Hippolytus has decided to be celibate and worship Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt. This brings us to the first example of sexism in this piece. The idea that Aphrodite is so fickle and jealous is quite stereotypical. What is worse, is that the men of 400 BC would have agreed with Euripides in this assumption that women are irrational and naggy when they do not get what they desire. In fact, all of the suffering in Hippolytus is caused by and angry Aphrodite and therefore adds fuel to the already sexist fire. Because of Aphrodite’s jealousy, she decides to make Phaedra, Hippolytus’ stepmother, fall in love with him.

Naturally, Phaedra is heartbroken because she knows it is wrong and attempts to starve herself to death. In fact, when her nurse attempts to help, she swears she will not tell her so that she can die with honor. Phaedra’s life is completely at the mercy of Aphrodite and she is quite helpless in her desire. Here, Euripides has given us another example of misogyny. Phaedra is described as acting wildly and asks to die saying, “Ah! would I could draw a draught of water pure from some dew-fed spring, and lay me down to rest in the grassy meadow 'neath the poplar's shade!” Indeed, she is described as wailing and wishing for death several times, with her nurse and attendants calling for her to retain her sanity. Instead of anyone realizing that Phaedra is under a spell, everyone around her is made to think that she is crazy, a common belief about women in this time period. This is also a common theme in Euripides’ work with Medea also being categorized as crazy though the circumstances drove her too it.

The nurse runs and tells Hippolytus, thinking that he will have some pity of Phaedra, but he does not saying, “Great Zeus, why didst thou, to man's sorrow, put woman, evil counterfeit, to dwell where shines the sun? If thou wert minded that the human race should multiply, it was not from women they should have drawn their stock, but in thy temples, they should have paid gold or iron or ponderous bronze and bought a family, each man proportioned to his offering, and so in independence dwelt, from women free. ” Now, Hippolytus is no campion for women in this play. He often can be found upset with women and their shallowness, which is why he deeply reveres Artemis in the first place. This attitude is deeply misogynistic, and I’m sure caused a roudy moment in the theatre as the men agreed. Regardless, Phaedra decides to hang herself and accuses Hippolytus of sexually assaulting her in a letter.