Phoenician Women by Euripides (409)
The play revolves around the story of Jocasta's visit to her son Eteocles and his brother Polyneices, who are at war with each other over the throne of Thebes. Jocasta tries to persuade them to end their conflict but ultimately fails. Meanwhile, a chorus of Phoenician women provides commentary on the situation. The play explores themes of family, power, and the consequences of violence.
By Euripides · First published 409 · Genre: Tragedy, Drama, Classical Literature · 20,489 words
First lines
Phoenician Women is based on the same story as Aeschylus' famous drama Seven Against Thebes, with the title referring to the Greek chorus, composed of Phoenician women on their way to Delphi and who are then trapped in Thebes by the war. Euripides wrote the play around 408 BC, at a time when Athens suffered a huge defeat at the hands of Sparta and were facing military disaster.
Similar titles
- Iphigenia At Aulis by Euripides
- The Suppliants by Euripides
- Helen by Euripides
- Hippolytus by Euripides
- Medea by Euripides
- Antigone by Sophocles
Genres
- Tragedy — The work explores themes of fate, suffering, and moral conflict, characteristic of tragic literature.
- Drama — It is structured as a play, focusing on dialogue and performance to convey its themes.
- Classical Literature — It is a significant work from ancient Greek literature, reflecting the cultural and social issues of its time.
- Mythology — The narrative incorporates mythological elements and characters, drawing on established myths.
Tags
Tragedy · Ancient Greek Drama · Greek Mythology · Theban Cycle · Family Conflict · War · Prophecy · Fate vs Free Will · Hubris · Pride · Revenge Tragedy · Female Protagonist
What this Textopian page supports
Phoenician Women is listed on Textopian as a play by Euripides, dated 409 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: Euripides
- Date: 409 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Tragedy, Drama, Classical Literature, Mythology, Political Commentary
- Length: 20,489 words
- Structure: 1 section, 445 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Phoenician Women by Euripides
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph