Mithridate

The play Mithridate by Jean Racine, first performed in 1673, is a tragedy with a Roman setting. It centers on Mithradates VI, the king of Pontus, who is depicted as an aging and jealous rival to his own sons for the affection of the Greek princess Monime. The conflict between the brothers over their father's fiancée is a manifestation of Racine's recurring tragic theme of warring siblings. The play portrays Mithradates' decline as a once-feared hero, increasingly aware of his diminishing influence against Rome. Racine's works often explore themes of passion, politics, and the frustrating limits placed on individual desires by societal constraints. His tragedies are characterized by a sense of inevitable catastrophe, with a small number of characters locked in escalating conflict within stifling circumstances.12