The Dramaturgy of Senecan Tragedy

6. Hercules Furens (Mad Hercules)

93 Chapter 6 Hercules Furens (Mad Hercules) Three mute actors are required to portray the sons of Hercules and Megara in acts 2 and 4. Since Juno is the only speaking character in act 1, and she does not appear subsequently, the actor portraying her could, in theory, be assigned any of the other roles. Of the remaining characters, Amphitryo is onstage for all four acts; therefore, once an actor assumes that role, he can take on no others. Lycus and Megara are present together, as are Hercules and Theseus, and so these two pairs must be played by different actors. Act 2 provides further clues and complications. The second half of this act consists of a confrontation between, on the one side, Megara and Amphitryo, and the tyrant Lycus on the other. The episode ends with Lycus commanding Megara to seek sanctuary (complectere aras, 503). Some scholars assume that Megara clings for safety to an actual onstage altar.1 Lycus goes on to command his servants to pile wood upon it and set it on fire, thus threatening the wife and children of Hercules with death (506–8). He then exits (514–15), as Amphitryo prays to the gods (516–23). Following a choral hymn, Hercules and Theseus enter, having recently emerged from the Underworld (592). Amphitryo has remained Dramatis Personae Actor Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Act 4 Act 5 Actor A Juno Lycus Theseus Theseus Theseus Actor B — Amphitryo Amphitryo Amphitryo Amphitryo Actor C — Megara Hercules Hercules/Megara Hercules 94 • the dramaturgy of senecan tragedy onstage. Zwierlein assumes Megara is still present as well, clinging to the altar, although she does not speak again until the fourth episode.2 Four speaking characters seem to be present, and so a fourth actor would be necessary to play Theseus, thereby breaking the rule of three actors. Sutton, on the other hand, thinks that at some point during the choral passage, the actor portraying Megara leaves quietly, changes masks, and then comes on as Theseus; a “mute supernumerary” sneaks on to resume the onstage presence of Megara.3 This exchange of roles, while nicely doing away with the need for a fourth speaking actor, is, however, both awkward and unprecedented.4 But some extraordinary staging seems necessary, since Hercules, shortly after entering, asks about the appearance of his family (626–28); and he addresses his wife as he leaves (638–39). These lines imply that Megara and the children are in fact onstage. On the contrary, I would suggest that Hercules is hallucinating. Juno, in the prologue, proclaims that it is her intent to drive Hercules mad (84–124). Later signs of this madness will be Hercules seeing the constellations run amok in the sky (939–52), and then mistaking his wife and sons for his enemies (1001– 2, 1018–20), thus leading to their slaughter. The manifestation, then, of this Juno-inspired madness is an inability to trust his eyesight. Fitch, in discussing “Hercules sane” versus “Hercules insane,”5 recognizes that Hercules “is close to insanity in his daily modus vitae,” and that “when he has reached the highest pitch of megalomania, his mind topples over into madness.”6 I would argue, however, that Seneca depicts not a sudden freefall, but a steady build. From his very first entrance, Hercules is already seeing things that are not there. In addition, when Juno instructs the Furies to harass her stepson, she calls one of them by name: Megaera (102).7 The clever wordplay suggests that Hercules may think he addresses his wife, Megara, when in fact he sees Megaera, the embodiment of madness. Theseus further complicates matters when, after Hercules’ exit, he addresses Megara (641–42). There is no other indication that he shares his friend’s madness, so he would not also be hallucinating. But a few lines later, Theseus himself provides an explanation when he states that he is having trouble seeing after spending so much time in the land of the dead (651–53).8 He may mistake an attendant or some other shape— perhaps even the ubiquitous altar—for Megara.9 Or, perhaps, convinced of her presence since Hercules has just addressed her, the partially blind Theseus may simply be following his friend’s lead, speaking to his wife as politeness would dictate, regardless of whether she is actually there. Thus, Theseus’ words are not necessarily proof of Megara’s presence. Hercules Furens...