Browse all of the Salem on Literature series

The Women of Trachis (Masterplots II: Drama)

At a glance:

The Play

The Women of Trachis opens with a lament by Daianeira, wife of the greatest of Greek mythic heroes, Herakles. She is lamenting her woman’s helplessness during his year’s absence in pursuit of heroic labors or exploits; she is a loving and loyal wife who misses her husband and is in some anxiety about his safety—indeed, his fate, which she knows affects her own. No sooner has she sent off her and Herakles’ grown son Hyllus on a search than a local messenger arrives with a report that Lykhas, Herakles’ herald, has landed in Trachis with news that...

[The entire page is 2324 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

Lookup any word on eNotes with our dictionary. Highlight the word and press SHIFT + D for a definition, or SHIFT + T for a synonym.