| Study Questions
for Euripides' Alcestis
1. Why does Alcestis agree to die for Admetus? Are her reasons
honorable? Self-serving? Is her character totally unrealistic? Is it idealized,
i.e. the example of the perfect wife? If so, is there anything about her
that you can relate to? What do you feel toward her? Sympathy? Pity? Disdain?
No feeling? Why?
2. Why does Admetus let Alcestis die? Do we ever find out? To what degree
is Apollo responsible for the troubles of Admetus and Alcestis? Why do
you think that Euripides portrays Admetus within the play as having no
choice but to let Alcestis die?
3. Consider the role played by Heracles in the play. Why does Admetus
insist on asking him to stay at his house? Why does Heracles stay? Is
he a complete boor who lacks social graces or does he represent a true
friend to Admetus? Why?
4. Why did Euripides begin the play with a dialogue between Apollo and
Death? Do their characters continue throughout the play? What importance
does the scene have for the rest of the play?
5. The ideas of justice, hospitality and kinship occur throughout the
play. What importance do they have for our understanding of the scenes
between Admetus and Pheres or between Admetus and Heracles.
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