This introductory study presents Racine's Phèdre as the culmination of
French classical tragedy. It situates the play in its historical,
literary and theatrical context, shows its relationship with other
tragedies of Racine, and sketches its influence on later European
literature. It analyzes the structures and language of the play,
considers the major characters in action, and explores the ancient
classical background and the mythological content. A chronological table
of Racine's life and times and a guide to further reading are included.