Rewriting Jean Racines Phaedra into a Comedy

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Rewriting Jean Racine's Phaedra into a Comedy
The Greek Mythology Phaedra by Jean Racine has the characteristics of a tragedy because it results in the deaths of the main characters, Phaedra and Hippolytus. However, this feature is not relevant in a comedy because the latter usually has a happy ending to the major characters (Kuritz 33). At the same time, Hippolytus, the tragic hero in the play, is too serious and morally upright to be an ideal character in a comedy. This is because he holds very strong values about sex, dislikes women, is rational, and very loyal to Aricia, the only woman he loves. Moreover, the fate of the characters is influenced by the gods, which denies them the freedom to use their wits to survive. In this regard, rewriting Phaedra as a comedy requires the plot to discard its mythological and tragic characteristics. The characters, especially Hippolytus, should adopt a carefree mannerism, be naughty, and be able to overcome problems through wit and deception.
The first step in making Phaedra a comedy is eliminating the influence of the gods in the lives of the characters. This is because the presence of supernatural powers limits the characters' freedom to be cheeky and naughty, or to act recklessly and get away with it. In tragicomedies like Oedipus, the gods “cause and shape the play's events to the conclusion they desire,” which often involves the destruction of the main character (Foster 51). Similarly, the death of Hippolytus and Phaedra kills the source of humor in comedy- the audience's knowledge that somehow, the main character will get away with his unbecoming or irrational behavior. In this regard, the new plot will develop Hippolytus as a careless and wicked character who survives till the end. Accordingly, he will be the one who displays sexual lust for his stepmother.
The play should begin with Hippolytus declaring that there are only two women in the whole kingdom who makes his heart melt; Aricia and Ph...