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Jean Racine's "Phaedra" Trivia Quiz

"Phaedra" is French dramatist Jean Racine's tenth play. The French title is "Phèdre" (originally "Phèdre et Hippolyte"). See how much you know about this play based on Greek mythology! [English translation by Richard Wilbur]

A multiple-choice quiz by AlexxSchneider. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
AlexxSchneider

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
311,274

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
240

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. When did Racine write this play? Hint

32 BCE

1867

1546

1677

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Question 2 of 10

2. How many acts does the play have? Hint

3. I've already mentioned that the story and characters are based on Greek myth. Many Greek and Roman tragic poets wrote about Phaedra. Which two are most notable? (The former is Greek, the latter Roman.) Hint

Euripides and Seneca

Xenocles and Catullus

Cleophon and Horace

Sappho and Ovid

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Question 4 of 10

4. In Racine's play, who rules Athens? Hint

Phaedra

Theseus

Hippolytus

Aricia

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Question 5 of 10

5. Where is the play set? Hint

Crete

Athens

Troezen

Rome

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Question 6 of 10

6. What is the name of Phaedra's nurse and confidante? Hint

Panope

Ismene.

Her name is not given; she is addressed as Nurse.

Oenone

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Question 7 of 10

7. Who is the object of Hippolytus' affections? Hint

Theramenes

Phaedra

Aricia

Oenone

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Question 8 of 10

8. How does Hippolytus die? Hint

He stabs himself.

He is eaten alive by vultures.

Theseus stabs him.

He is dragged to his death in his chariot.

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Question 9 of 10

9. How does Phaedra die? Hint

She throws herself out of a palace window.

She hangs herself.

She poisons herself.

She stabs herself.

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Question 10 of 10

10. In the last scene of Act V, after Phaedra's and Hippolytus' deaths, what does Theseus do to Aricia? Hint

He keeps her enslaved in his palace.

He kills her.

He declares her his daughter.

He rapes her.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When did Racine write this play?

Answer: 1677

Racine wrote the play at the age of 38, after which he abandoned the theater. He wrote no more plays except for two religious works, "Esther" and "Athalie", which he wrote more than a decade later, in 1689 and 1691 respectively.

2. How many acts does the play have?

Answer: 5

Richard Wilbur translated the play into English in 1987. His translation replaces the alexandrine meter with the pentameter, and has the exact same number of lines as the original (1,654)!

Answer: Euripides and Seneca

Seneca the Younger's "Phaedra" was adapted from Euripides' "Hippolytus".

4. In Racine's play, who rules Athens?

Answer: Theseus

Phaedra is his wife, and therefore the queen. Hippolytus is his son from a previous marriage to Antiope, Queen of the Amazons. Aricia is forbidden by Theseus to marry, to stop her continuing her line. Theseus has killed her brothers, as they revolted against him.

5. Where is the play set?

Answer: Troezen

Although Theseus and Phaedra rule Athens, the play actually takes place in Troezen. Theseus has been absent for six months, and he sends his wife to Troezen under Hippolytus' care for her safety.

6. What is the name of Phaedra's nurse and confidante?

Answer: Oenone

The answer is indeed Oenone. Panope is Phaedra's lady-in-waiting. Ismene is the confidante of Aricia.

Oenone is blamed by Phaedra for Hippolytus rejecting her confession of love. She is shunned by Phaedra, and commits suicide by drowning herself.

7. Who is the object of Hippolytus' affections?

Answer: Aricia

Theramenes is Hippolytus' tutor, so I hope he isn't in love with him! And of course, he certainly does not love his step-mother in that way!

An interesting question: why do they refer to the Roman gods instead of the Greek ones?

8. How does Hippolytus die?

Answer: He is dragged to his death in his chariot.

Theseus curses and banishes him after Oenone lies that he tried to rape Phaedra. As he is leaving, a sea monster - half-bull, half-dragon - scares his horses, who panic and rush away, dragging the fallen chariot along the stony road with Hippolytus tangled in the reins. Ouch!

9. How does Phaedra die?

Answer: She poisons herself.

This was a bit of a trick question, actually, since in Euripides' play she hangs herself, pinning to her body a note accusing Hippolytus of rape. In Racine, she takes "a poison which Medea brought to Greece". Medea was Theseus' step-mother in Greek mythology.

Another interesting point is that Theseus killed the Minotaur, who was the half-brother of Phaedra.

10. In the last scene of Act V, after Phaedra's and Hippolytus' deaths, what does Theseus do to Aricia?

Answer: He declares her his daughter.

He has discovered that Hippolytus had loved Aricia and planned to marry her. He takes away her chains and declares that she will be his daughter now.

Hope you enjoyed the quiz!

Source: Author AlexxSchneider

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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