The Bull from the Sea | The Bull from the Sea

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Author: Mary Renault
First Published: 1962
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Historical realism
Time of Work: The Mycenaean Age in ancient Greece
Setting: Greece
Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Historical fiction, Mythological literature, Adventure
Subjects: Mythology or myths, Power, personal or social, Politics, Love or romance, Suicide, Gender roles, Religion, Jealousy, envy, or resentment, Obsession, War, Kings, queens, or royalty, Gods or goddesses, Truthfulness and falsehood, Heroes or heroism, Rites or ceremonies, Greek or Roman times, Greece or Greek people, Hellenism, Princes or princesses, Royal courts or courtiers
Locales: Greece, ancient

Theseus (THEE-see-uhs), the protagonist and narrator. He becomes the king of Athens after the death of his father, Aegeus, then begins his attempt to unify Attica and create a strong central government in Athens. His love affair with Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, ends with her death, but he has already married Phaedra, princess of Crete. He later brings her and their son Akamas to Athens. The tragedy of the relationship among Hippolytus, Phaedra, and Theseus results in the deaths of Phaedra and Hippolytus. Theseus ends his days a lonely, embittered,...

The Bull from the Sea | The Bull from the Sea

At a glance:

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