Greek mythology

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It is quite challenging to understand the allegory surrounding the mystery of young women, virgin girls who are yet to lose their virginity, to cut their locks of hair and dedicate it to the Hippolytus. This indicates deceptively transparent yet very intricate subversion of thought the Greek people possess in light of their beliefs. This is shown in how a very controversial character of Hippolytus, is converted into symbiosis belief or ritual by the virgin girls. To a great extent, the Greeks portray some complexity in their character. Therefore, critical scrutiny should be taken on how their rituals are rooted. Also, their intent in worship is paramount in understanding the mystery of the devotion of the young girls toward the lord of virgins. In this context, a close look is taken at the reasons behind such ritualistic devotion.
It is possible that the focus of the ritual of initiation performed by the virgin girls is rooted from the ardent love Phaedra has for the Hippolytus. However, the ritual gives more significance to the Hippolytus through the fact that the locks of hair devoted by the virgin girls are meant for Him and not for Phaedra. The girls perform the ritual with the intuition that Phaedra is the cause of Hippolytus’s downfall and in this respect, they vindicate Phaedra for his death. She is made to be disconnected, “my hair all done up on top of my head is a heavy load to bear… let the curls of my hair cascade over my shoulders” (Euripides 201-202).

To recompense for this ruin caused by Phaedra, which leads to his downfall, the virgin girls believe that offering him their locks of hairs will be a reward to show their devotedness (Nagy 544). After this Hippolytus endow them with the dykes as they transition from premarital to marital phase.
By performing the ritual of offering their locks of hair to the Hippolytus, the virgin girls are offering their virginity to the myth surrounding him. In the myth, Hippolytus dedicates his life as a virgin devotee and offers his life to the Artemis and the gift “golden locks of hair” is dedicated as a “properly worshipful hand” (Euripides 82-83). Some, however, express their discontent in the fact that such a hero should die a virgin and it is in this sense that the Artemis initiates a ritual meant for the girls to offer the locks of hair before they are shorn off their virginity. Hippolytus has had a very challenging life, and sex to him is an abomination. It is impossible to him, and similarly, he aligns his feeling like that of misogyny. His feelings can be compared to those of a holy person, the likes of John the Baptist.
It is therefore intriguing how profound displeasure from the love of women ironically turn into a ritual in a community. However, deep understanding and scrutiny of the play can take the reader into drawing diverse conclusions especially from the characterization of the Hippolytus. However, it is undeniable from the discussion above that the background of the ritual performed by the virgin girl’s adoration of the virgin hero symbolizes the fatal attraction Phaedra has for Hippolytus. However, she neither has the chance to revel in that love nor offer her locks of hair as she would have wished
Work cited
Euripides. The plays of Euripides. Vol. 2. Wildside Press LLC, 2007.
Nagy, Gregory. The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2013.