Initiation in Euripides' tragedies: Acceptance rituals of adolescents to society based on the cases of Hippolytos, Ion, Orestes and its meaning in dramatic fiction

The aim of this study is to determine the possible ritual motifs and stages of the initiation rituals of characters in the myths of Hippolytos, Ion and Orestes at the tragedies of Euripides to reveal the function and importance of these in the process of composing the dramatic fiction. In the first chapter, the mythical setting of the initiation narratives and the protagonists of Euripides for the initiation process at his tragedies were determined by analyzing the context of initiation rituals in the myths of gods and heroes of Greek mythology. In the second part, the rituals of removing the candidates from the society, which constitute the initial stage of the initiation rituals, are discussed, and yielded with the assumption of mentioned stage at Euripides tragedies have been symbolized by the separation of the protagonists from their mothers. The third chapter focuses on the liminal phase of the initiation rituals. The action environs of the protagonists in the liminal phase of the initiation process are various sanctuaries or spaces outside the city, such as the Temple of Apollo or the Inakhos countryside. Euripides highlighted his characters in this phase with their hunter identities, also by cheating and deception motifs. The fourth chapter focuses on the social integration phase of the characters, which is symbolized by the ritual death and rebirth. Father's approval plays a vital role over the characters to return to the society by gaining their new status. The last part of the study reveals the relation in between the dramatic fiction of the tragedies and the ritual stages and motifs of the initiation. The general outcome of the study is that the tragedies that are the subject of our research thematically focus on the initiation rituals of Hippolytos, Ion and Orestes, the dramatic elements are related with the symbols of the initiation rituals, and the dramatic action is speculated in harmony with the phases of the initiation rituals as well. It is possible to consider the protagonists, who are portrayed at the initial acts of the tragedies as the adolescents experiencing identity crisis beyond the social pale, finally integrate with the society by gaining their new identity and status.