Genre
Greek Tragedy
Language
Greek
Setting and Context
Thebes, 416 BC
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Amphitryon, Megara and Heracles
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic, Tragic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonists are Megara, Amphitryon, Heracles and his sons. Antagonists are Lykos and Iris.
Major Conflict
Lykos wants to kill Megara and her sons in order to take the throne from her father and stop any future attempt of Heracles' sons from killing him.
Climax
Heracles returns from Hades to kill Lykos, but the god Iris causes him to go mad and slaughter his family. He isn't allowed to mourn his family and observe their funeral, and must leave Thebes.
Foreshadowing
Megara deciding to prepare her sons for execution foreshadows their death.
Understatement
It is understated as to why Zeus never appears to help his son.
Allusions
The play is an allusion to the interplay of the relationship of the gods and men. Even the father of Heracles, Zeus the king of the gods does not intercede to help his son, but allows Iris to cause him to slaughter his family. Apparently, all of Heracles' efforts were for nothing.
Imagery
Halls of Hades
Megora covering her chicks (sons) with her wings (arms)
Amphitryon, Megara, and her sons attempting to protect themselves at the threshold of the temple of Zeus.
Paradox
Heracles kills Lykos and stops him from murdering his family, paradoxically Heracles goes mad and slaughters his wife and sons.
Parallelism
Heracles deciding that suicide is cowardly and choosing to live parallels Megara's choice to be executed rather than be burned alive as only cowards would do this.
Personification
Madness becomes personified in Heracles as Iris causes him to kill his own family.
Use of Dramatic Devices
The Chorus of Old Men.
