Phaedra’s love

 

Phaedra’s love, 1996.

A play in one act.

Caryl Churchill.

 

  The characters of this play are going to be described. The main character is Hippolytus; he is a fat man who dislikes all things and the people that surrounds him. He is disgusting, rude, lazy, half-heartedly to live.  But all people loves Hippolytus and he doesn’t love anybody. Phaedra is his mother-in-law, she is married Theseus but he isn’t in the palace. Phaedra loves Hippolytus, but he doesn’t feel the same and Phaedra suicides. Phaedra has a daughter of another man (not of Theseus) Strophe, she was in love with Hippolytus. Others characters appear in the play but they are not of relevant importance.

 

  The play begins with Hippolytus in his bedroom, he is watching a television and he masturbates with his penis put into a sock. Phaedra and a doctor are talking and the doctor says that Hippolytus is depressed and he should change his diet. This day is Hippolytus’ birthday and Phaedra says him that she is in love and gives him her present; she practices oral sex to him, but Hippolytus tells to her that he does not need her. Phaedra feels disappointed and decides to suicide and before writes a letter in which accused Hippolytus of rape her. When Strophe reads the note enters to the bedroom of Hippolytus and has a discussion with him, Strophe pretends to discover if Hippolytus has raped her mother but he does not answer.  For this, Hippolytus is imprisoned and a priest goes to forgive his sins but Hippolytus does not feel remorse, in fact he feels joy. Finally the priest performs oral sex to Hippolytus.

 

 

 

 

 

  At the end of the play, Hippolytus is outside the court. People gathered around a fire including Theseus (his father) and Strophe. People begin to insult Hippolytus, and they want to kill him. Strophe does not want to they kill him and defence him because she loves him. Theseus rape Strophe and kills her and when he realises that she is her daughter-in-law he laments. A woman cuts Hippolytus’ genitals and throws it to the fire. Theseus kills himself. Hippolytus dies and a vulture descends to eat his body.

 

  Sarah Kane does not establish where the play is situated and when it is developed. But we know the places, a royal palace and outside the court.

 

  The language used by Sarah Kane sometimes is a strong language, she uses expressions like: “you’re a heartless bastard, you know that”, “fuck someone else imagine it’s me. Shouldn’t be difficult, everyone looks the same when they come”, “She a doctor, I have gonorrhoea.”

 

  To conclude, when I read this play I was impressed, it is a very strong play, Sarah Kane talks about sexual issues, oral sex, rape, kill… like this things occur all days in this natural way.

 

  Moreover this play reminds me an antiquity play: King Edip. A mother who was in love with her son and when she realises that he is her son she suicides and her son cuts his eyes. I think Phaedra’s love is based in King Edip but it is situated in modern times.