The festival included a parade of war orphans and tribute money collected from subject cities justifying Athenian identity as leaders to the Greek world to visiting foreigners and other civic dignitaries (Open University, 2010). Tragedy plays were part of this festival, in which competing playwrights persuaded both judges and the audience of their innovative interpretations of the various myths, a competition that Hippolytus won in 428 BCE. In Hippolytus, Euripides uses the Hippolytus’ myth to promote Athenian identity and pride by exploring a tragic episode in the Athenian’s hero Theseus life. Theseus epitomises idealised Athenian values and Euripides as a tragedian is interested in exploring the conflicts and dilemmas of heroism (Buxton, 2010, p.72-3). In Hippolytus Theseus witnesses, the destruction of his household caused by his wife suicide and him cursing his son causing his death. The central role played by choruses in tragedy was particular source of pride as they consisting of ordinary Athenian citizens from the different tribes (Open University, 2010) recalling the …show more content…
Euripides uses the two choruses, male and female, to reflect the conflict between Phaedra and Hippolytus. The chorus, as a substitute community for the attending audience, offers support and advice and become complicit in the action. In Hippolytus they do not break their oath of silence to Phaedra when the letter is discovere even though they foresee ‘sorrows’ (Hippolytus, 882) and tell Theseus to reconsider his curse towards Hippolytus (Hippolytus, 892). The choral odes act as a bridge between the play and the audience, offering insights and general morals drawn from other myths to show how the play events fit into the broader philosophical and ethical scheme. Euripides reinforces Greek civic identity by referring to democratic process. He focuses the attention of the audience on their role as citizen jurors in the discussion between Hippolytus and Theseus (Hippolytus, L915-1080) over Phaedra’s letter, containing an accusation of rape. The discussion resembles a court trial with accusing and defending arguments and oaths in