The problems of destiny in Phaedra

Phaedra's basic problem is that she falls in love with her stepson Hippolytus and he  is appalled by this illicit love.  Her destiny is, like most of the destinies in Greek mythology, determined by fate.  There are several stories about why she fell in love with him; in one she lies and Hippolytus is killed, but all in all her destiny is inexplicably tied to Hippolytus' desire to remain virginal and the curses that go along with such a desire.