On the other hand I could take the line that he isn’t annoying but rather loyal and determined to follow this way of life. He lives for himself and for no-one else, making him a free and independent spirit with a mind of his own. He doesn’t hurt anyone in his puruits, he goes out hunting and, keeps himself busy, and so cant be accused of any evil or wrong doing, or even being idle. So this leaves me to think those who prefer Aphrodite would see him as the prig maybe, but those who prefer Artemis would see him otherwise, so looking at it balanced, on first impressions he just seems commited even if slightly innocent, but not quite an insufferable prig.
Theseus is Impetuous, as in he does act irrationally, and because Hippolytus was innocent makes his punishment and behaviour towards him particularly impetous, he shows remourse later in the book which tells me if he had known the truth he wudnt have done it, which leaves me to think is there anyway he could have found out the truth. The answer to that is probably no, he finds his wife dead, a shock in itself, but the finds a note saying she was raped. Even in legal scenarios today this would be very hard to prove either way but the court will rule Hippolytus to be guilty unless he can prove his innocence, which is nearly impossible as there are no witnesses, and the plaintiff is dead. So we can understand that the king becomes angry and curses his son.
It would be wrong of us however to call him a fool, because even today, if a person commits murder, a viable defense is provocation, and if the murder of ones wife isn’t provocation, I cant think what is. Theseus’ actions were bourne out of anger, and even then it is curious that he curses him, rather than just killing him himself, which might suggest a certain degree of human feelings.
It is most definite that Hippolytus is the victim of the gods, because he didn’t really do anything wrong, he has not actually “sinned” but yet he is killed which is the whole point of tragedy. Aphrodite was hellbent on destroying him, and she mangages to do this meaning he most definitely is the victim But maybe he brought it upon himself, if he ws less arrogant, and heeded the servants advice, or maybe was more pious and respected all the Gods this would never have happened to him. Theseus is a victim here, he loses not only his son, but his wife, he is the victim of a lie, as he believes his son to be a rapist, he didn’t do anything wrong, it was all fate and beyond his control that the Gods would mess them all about like that. Artemis is very cold and detached to Hippolytus at the end saying she isn’t a victim, just Hippolytus and his parents, which shos she was in on the ongoings behind the scenes and the humans are relly oblivious to everything.
