The Women of Trachis (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Sophocles
- First Published: 1729
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: Mythic Hellenic prehistory
- Setting: Trachis
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy
- Subjects: Justice, Magic or magicians, Mythical animals, Suicide, Murder or homicide, Marriage, Death or dying, Gods or goddesses, Captivity, Heroes or heroism, Greek or Roman times, Poisons or poisoning, Oracles
- Locales: Greece, ancient, Trachis, ancient
Characters Discussed
Daianeira (day-an-EH-rah), also known as The Day’s Air or Daysair, the daughter of Oineus and wife of the great hero Herakles. Powerfully alluring and aware of her beauty (“looks are my trouble”), she is unhappy as the action begins because her husband has been away from his family for some time. She admires him and finds him very attractive, but her love is tested when she learns that Herakles has sent a young female captive to their home. In an attempt to remove any possibility of competition, she sends Herakles a love charm given to her by a...
[The entire page is 815 words long]
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