Introduction

-oldest surviving work by Euripides

-took the place of the usual satyr play in the 4th position; explain's use of humour

"Pro-Satyric": Folk- Tale Elements

(1)acceptance of the fantastic, such as Heracles' physical defeat of the boogeyman figure, Death

(2)basic story pattern, death comes for the groom but will take a substitute who ends up being the bride is found in other folktales from other culture

"Pro-Satyric" Elements: Changes in tone

-from serious to humorous or melodramatic:

ex. Heracles as a drunken buffoon

Background Myth: How Apollo comes to Serve Admetus

-Admetus participated in the quest for the golden fleece

-he is most famous for his adherence to xenia

-Apollo's son Asclepius was a faous physician, his healing powers were so great that he was able to raise the dead

-Apollo's father Zeus, was not pleased w/ how Asclepius was breaking down the barriers btwn mortality and divinity, and struck him dead w/  a lightning bolt

-in anger/retaliation Apollo killed the Cyclopes, the makers of Zeus' thuderbolts

-as punishment, Zeus forces Apollo to serve a mortal for a year as a slave, Admetus

Background Myth: Admetus' treatment of Apollo

 and his reward

-Admetus famed for his piety and xenia did not abuse his power over Apollo, but treated him fairly and w/ respect

 -as a reward, Apollo trickes the fates into allowing Admetus to cheat death (temporarily) by having someone die in his place

Imortality: Fundamental division btwn gods and mortals 

-Apollo (of course a healer) and his son Asclepius threaten to brea down the divison fundamental division btwn gods and mortals; immortality

-as punishment he is made to live as a mortal; thus the temporary transformation of a god to a mortal to restore balance

-Apollo's reward to Admetus is to again ignore the division btwn mortals and gods, by giving him a second life

Central Theme: Death

-death has its due, and is that is the collection of those fated to die

ex. Death states afterwards that Alcestis will descend to Hades, since that is the lot of humans, if she will be saved today she will yet die in time 

The finality of death is the reason to enjoy what one has in life. Give examples

-Admetus is willing sacrifice his "best of wives" for his own life

-his father Pheres, who refuse to die on his son's behalf, says that all life is precious even if only a little of it remains, as w/ himself

-Heracles makes similar comments in his drunked discussion w/ the servant; as humans are doomed to die, one must take pleasure and happiness that one can at that moment

Heroes are those individuals who strive to go beyond what other's attempt to do, in order to cheat death in the limited sense of obtaining a reputation that lives beyond them. Admetus loses this sense of heroism....

by cheating death. He is reproached as a coward for living his life too much and letting his wife die for him (this is in addition to the sadness of having lost her)

Alcestis: Helper Figure and Heroine

-praised as best of wives for her sacrifice; it is her reputation that is being elevated and preserved

-she obtains fame by her assistance to the hero (helper figure)

-her ability to assist the hero is a result of of the hero's shortcomings; thus the failure of the hero to act in a heroic manner allows for the position to be taken by the female figure (heroine)

How does Alcestis lose this role of the hero 

-it is Admetus' admirable quality of upholding the value of xenia at all costs that influences Heracles to save Alcestis; thus it is still his character that is responsible for the success that comes at the end of the play, even though it is not due to his direct agency

-rather is it Heracles who performs the extraordinary deed we expect of the hero

-Heracles' (male) rescue of Alcestis from Death at the end of the play reverses the process of Alcestis (female) taking the position of the hero from Admetus (male)

Alcestis' silence at the end of the play

-play mentions religious reasons for her silence

-hard not relate this silence to the silencing of the female heroine; Heracles returning Alcestis in such a miraculous fashion in effect overshadows her heroism w/ his own

The balance of the heroes: Alcestis and Heracles

Alcestis overcomes death for her husband by accepting death for herself = passive heroism

Heracles overcomes Death literally by overpowering him, thereby bringing Alcestis back to life = active heroism