Aristotle writes in the Poetics that the life of Heracles was too varied and many-sided for a unified tragedy to be written about him, but tragedians nonetheless tried.
Background: when Heracles was trying to get his wife Deianira across a river, the Centaur Nessus offered to carry her, but when on the other side he then tried to rape her. Heracles shot him with an arrow, and the dying Nessus offered Deianira a shirt soa ked with his blood, telling her that its magic could keep Heracles faithful to her. (This is partly explained around line 680). Years later, Heracles, while on one of his adventures, falls in love with Iole, and, before returning to his wife, Deianira lea rns of his betrayal of her.
The play opens with Deianira worrying about her absent husband. If you know some mythology, try to keep track of all the allusions. We'll discuss the important ones in class.
In the scene beginning on line 235, Iole is led in as a captive. The actor playing her is always mute; do you see any significance in this? (Consider the way the scene is staged and developed) Similarly, Heracles and Deianira are never on stage together. Does this lack of direct connection symbolize anything?
Why does Lichas, Heracles' messenger lie to Deianira?
Like Ajax, Heracles is a problematic hero. How are his actions and values like and dislike those of Ajax? Is his destruction of a city for a teenaged girl admirable? In what ways are the specific circumstances of the destruction of the two heroes similar?
Similarly, compare the character of Deianira with Tecmessa. Also, can you now compare Sophocles' handling of female characters with Aeschylus'? Some suggest that Deianira is the play's true hero; comments? To understand this, you might want to look at the passages in Aristotle's Poetics on recognition and error.
Also, if you have read Oedipus the King think of how the characters, plot and themes of that play resemble those here.
What does Heracles mean when he says (1075): "Now in my misery I am discovered a woman." Think about the specific application of this thought, but then consider the strangely feminine aspects of Heracles' nature.
Why should Heracles be burned alive?
Compare Heracles' attitude to his son Hyllus with Ajax's to Eurysaces.