Alcestis Essay

Alcestis is a myth that is "the most touching of all the Greek dramas to a modern audience" (Lind 213). It is a tragicomedy by the playwright Euripides and it centers on the king and queen of Thessalia. Admetus, the king, has been fated to die yet, due to his alliance with Apollo, is given the chance to find a replacement. His wife, Alcestis, volunteers for the position claiming that she cannot imagine life without her husband. After Alcestis submits her life, Admetus discovers the pain

occasionally assert dominance in the household; although, even within the home they posses limited influence over their husbands. An interesting theme runs though Euripides theatrical tragedies Alcestis and Hippolytus. In each play the lead female character forgoes her life for the sake of love. In Alcestis, Alcestis willingly

feminist by denying Alcestis of her agency at the end of “Alcestis.” When Heracles brings Alcestis back after rescuing her from Death, she has lost the ability to speak for three days (Alc. 1142-1146). This action denies Alcestis of her agency in several ways. First, she was never able to actually finish dying to save her husband. By not being able to die, Alcestis never fully carried out the action that was going to give her agency and honor as a perfect wife. Secondly, Alcestis’ silence serves as

called “Euripides 1, Alcestis and The Medea”, they share a common theme, which is heroism. In the play, the two main characters who are females, show a sign of heroism and honor. In addition, both of their husbands named, Jason and Admetus, show dishonor in the scenes, that are the cause of their misfortune In results, in Greek heroism and honor, comes with great sacrifices, hidden emotion, yet in the 21 century, heroism is looked upon differently. In the play “Alcestis,” Alcestis shows great Greek

Women in the Greco-Roman era were subject to being the less useful counter parts of males, whose sole purpose was to take care of her children and her house. Alcestis is the honorable and lovely wife of Admetus in the play of Alcestis by Euripides. The play shows us Alcestis doing a very brave thing by offering to let herself be taken by death in place of her husband, with her final words she asked him to never take another wife. By dying for him and asking for him to never take another wife it's

Penelope of the Odyssey and Alcestis of Alcestis as Ideal Greek Females    Although there is some disagreement concerning the Greek’s definition of the ideal female, there is little disagreement that two women represented this Greek ideal. The character of Penelope of Homer's Odyssey 1 and Alcestis of Euripides' Alcestis 2, came to represent the same ideal of female excellence. The Greeks referred to this ideal female as a sophron woman. The qualities possessed by a sophron woman are tangible;

different. An important part of Greek culture was the plays, they showed in depth messages and themes that connected with many people in Greece. Alcestis on a surface level, is a play about marriage, life and death, and trying to accommodate heroes during a tough time. Claude Levi-Strauss' ideas of binary and cultural fears are shown in Euripides’ Alcestis. It shows a person going through life and death, and disappointing heroes. Death plays a massive part in culture, especially in ancient Greece

husband of Alcestis, offends the goddess Artemis and with that Admetus is doomed with an early death time. Apollo intervenes because of their prior history with one another. Apollo told the fates to accept a substitute as death in turn of Admetus. Admentus asks asks even his parents but he gets a resounding no. Alcestis states, “Your father, and the mother who bore you, betrayed you, though they had reached an age when it was good to die and good to save their son and end it honorably.” (Alcestis 290-291)

The play Alcestis is about the king of Thessaly, Greece named Admetus. Admetus saves the life of a man named Apollo and is later faced with the decision to die himself or have someone die in his place. Alcestis, Admetus’s wife and daughter of King Pelias decided she would be the one to die in place of Admetus. After reading the play, you can strongly see that Admetus is considered a member of a larger community. In the play, Admetus states how his house does not turn away any guest and serves the

called “Euripides 1, Alcestis and The Medea”, they share a common theme, which is heroism. In the play, the two main characters who are females, show a sign of heroism and honor. In addition, both of their husbands named, Jason and Admetus, show dishonor in the scenes, that are the cause of their misfortune In results, in Greek heroism and honor, comes with great sacrifices, hidden emotion, yet in the 21 century, heroism is looked upon differently. In the play “Alcestis,” Alcestis shows great Greek