Alcestis

Fiction | Play | Adult

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Lines 1-237

Lines 238-605

Lines 606-1005

Lines 1006-1063

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Who, if anyone, does the play suggest is really responsible for Alcestis’s death? Was it fair for Apollo to offer Admetus a chance to escape his death by finding a substitute to die in the first place?

Why does Alcestis agree to die for Admetus? Is there evidence that she comes to regret her choice? Support your answer with evidence from the play.

Why is Alcestis considered a “problem play?” How has the play’s undetermined genre status affected scholarship on Greek tragedy?