This introductory study presents Racine's Phèdre as the culmination of French classical tragedy. It situates the play in its historical, literary and theatrical context, shows its relationship with other tragedies of Racine, and sketches its influence on later European literature. It analyzes the structures and language of the play, considers the major characters in action, and explores the ancient classical background and the mythological content. A chronological table of Racine's life and times and a guide to further reading are included.