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Alcestis (Theatre)

 Alcestis (Theatre)
type
TVTItem
 Alcestis (Theatre)
label
Alcestis (Theatre)
 Alcestis (Theatre)
page
Alcestis
 Alcestis (Theatre)
comment
Alcestis is a play by Euripides, one of the ancient Greek tragedians. The work was composed in 438BC, not as a tragedy, but in the place of one of the satyr plays the playwrights would enter in the competition. As such, Euripides gives the story a more comic treatment than tragic, though it has its fair share of tragedy and drama.The play is a retelling of the myth of Admetus and Alcestis. The god Apollo had slain the Cyclopses, forgers of Zeus's thunder, and so the sky god punished him by making him serve a mortal man: King Admetus of Thessaly. Because Apollo found Admetus to be a just man, he rewarded him by saving him from death; unfortunately, for this to be done someone else had to die in the king's place.Admetus finds no one willing to die for him, neither among his friends nor his parents. He returns to discover that his wife, Alcestis, had offered, and the play opens with her upon the verge of death.The play is available online here... or, for you non-Classical scholar folks, in English here or here.
 Alcestis (Theatre)
fetched
2024-03-07T09:31:57Z
 Alcestis (Theatre)
parsed
2024-03-07T09:31:57Z
 Alcestis (Theatre)
processingComment
Dropped link to GenreBusting: Not a Feature - IGNORE
 Alcestis (Theatre)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_3fca462c
type
Deus ex Machina
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_3fca462c
comment
Deus ex Machina: Heracles, in both the play and the original myth Euripides used.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_3fca462c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_3fca462c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_3fca462c
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_424d15ad
type
Love Hurts
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_424d15ad
comment
Love Hurts: Admetus is completely devastated by Alcestis's sacrifice to the point of swearing to never remarry and to commission a statue of her to lie next to him every night. This is very surprising, even if a bit creepy, because this is Ancient Greek culture, where women are little more than properties.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_424d15ad
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_424d15ad
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_424d15ad
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_4655ec83
type
Important Haircut
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_4655ec83
comment
Important Haircut: Admetus orders all in Thessaly to cut their hair in mourning for Alcestis.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_4655ec83
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_4655ec83
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_4655ec83
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5ad80bf8
type
It's All My Fault
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5ad80bf8
comment
It's All My Fault: Admetus, despairing, eventually takes his father's accusations to heart (see Never My Fault, below) and blames himself for allowing Alcestis to die in his stead.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5ad80bf8
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5ad80bf8
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5ad80bf8
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fcedca
type
Big Eater
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fcedca
comment
Big Eater: Heracles. He's not seen eating, but a servant describes his gorging with abundance of particulars.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fcedca
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fcedca
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fcedca
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fd14ab3
type
Sacred Hospitality
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fd14ab3
comment
Sacred Hospitality: A major conflict of the play is Heracles's surprising visit to Admetus's kingdom during a funeral. Admetus decided to hide this news from Heracles and invite him in anyway.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fd14ab3
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1.0
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_5fd14ab3
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6439de78
type
Heroic Sacrifice
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6439de78
comment
Heroic Sacrifice: Alcestis, who died so her husband can live.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6439de78
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6439de78
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 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6439de78
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_680bb6b1
type
Hot-Blooded
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_680bb6b1
comment
Hot-Blooded: In many myths, Heracles becomes so enraged at the people who wrong him that he takes a terrible vengeance on them. In this case, Heracles is so grateful to Admetus for his hospitality and embarrassed by his own actions that he marches off to rescue Alcestis without a second thought.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_680bb6b1
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_680bb6b1
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_680bb6b1
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
type
Jerkass Has a Point
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
comment
Actually it's more a case of Jerkass Has a Point: without a king, Pherae is bound to be attacked and taken by another city, then Admetus's parents will be killed or enslaved along with the rest of the population and their line will be extinct.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7142b38a
type
The Grim Reaper
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7142b38a
comment
The Grim Reaper: Death (more specifically, Thanatos; there are two bringers/gods of death, Thanatos and his sisters the Keres)
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7142b38a
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7142b38a
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7142b38a
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e02bded
type
Fetch Quest
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e02bded
comment
Fetch Quest: Heracles appears en route to fetch the man-eating horses of Diomedes for one of his labours.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e02bded
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e02bded
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e02bded
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e851477
type
Balancing Death's Books
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e851477
comment
Balancing Death's Books: Gods can occasionally save select mortals from death, but Apollo is in no position to grant such a boon. The whole Cyclopes-killing story started with Apollo's son Asclepius raising the dead, which provoked the ire of Hades. The underworld god complained to Zeus that Asclepius was diminishing him of his subjects. Seeing that Apollo is already on sufferance from Zeus, he can have no recourse to him in that matter. On the other hand, the Underworld won't give anything for free: hence the victim swap idea.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e851477
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e851477
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_7e851477
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_8967e17f
type
Back from the Dead
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_8967e17f
comment
Back from the Dead: Alcestis, thanks to Heracles's trip to the Underworld.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_8967e17f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_8967e17f
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_8967e17f
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_93ed8515
type
Set Right What Once Went Wrong
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_93ed8515
comment
Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Heracles does this for Admetus and Alcestis by traveling to the Underworld to get her back. His reason is that he had been acting disrespectful because he didn't know about her death.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_93ed8515
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_93ed8515
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_93ed8515
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_973d220f
type
Never My Fault
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_973d220f
comment
Never My Fault: Admetus blames his parents for being too cowardly to die for him, even in their old age, resulting in Alcestis's death. His father, meanwhile, is disgusted that Admetus would expect something like that and states that Admetus himself is truly the one to blame. Actually it's more a case of Jerkass Has a Point: without a king, Pherae is bound to be attacked and taken by another city, then Admetus's parents will be killed or enslaved along with the rest of the population and their line will be extinct.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_973d220f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_973d220f
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_973d220f
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a4c37cbe
type
Mood Whiplash
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a4c37cbe
comment
Mood Whiplash: The play switches from Alcestis's funeral and Admetus's bitter argument with his father to Admetus's friend Heracles, who is drunk and merry. He sobers quickly when he learns of Alcestis's death, though.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a4c37cbe
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a4c37cbe
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a4c37cbe
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a679184b
type
Due to the Dead
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a679184b
comment
Due to the Dead: Heracles is really shocked when he learns of the death, because he had been behaving very inappropriately.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a679184b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a679184b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a679184b
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a7d3c33e
type
Not Your Problem
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a7d3c33e
comment
Not Your Problem: Thanatos says this to Apollo about Alcestis's death.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a7d3c33e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a7d3c33e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a7d3c33e
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a939d96a
type
Adults Are Useless
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a939d96a
comment
Adults Are Useless: Admetus is enraged that not even his parents could bring themselves to die for him, causing Alcestis to die instead.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a939d96a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a939d96a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_a939d96a
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b06bbf4b
type
Be Careful What You Wish For
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b06bbf4b
comment
Be Careful What You Wish For: Admetus gets the chance to cheat death, a special one-time offer. Trouble is, no one is willing to go in his place. Finally Alcestis, his devoted wife, goes, and Admetus gets to live, alright... knowing he caused the death of the person who loved him the most.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b06bbf4b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b06bbf4b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b06bbf4b
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b070362d
type
Wicked Stepmother
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b070362d
comment
Wicked Stepmother: Alcestis asks Admetus not to remarry after her death so that her children wouldn't have to face this trope.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b070362d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b070362d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_b070362d
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_c2afffe
type
Take Me Instead
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_c2afffe
comment
Take Me Instead: The major part of the agreement Apollo had made Admetus: the king can escape death if someone else offers to die for him. The play opens with his wife Alcestis being the only one to offer.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_c2afffe
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_c2afffe
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_c2afffe
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_cc4d190a
type
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_cc4d190a
comment
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: When Heracles appears, he goes after Death to bring Alcestis back.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_cc4d190a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_cc4d190a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_cc4d190a
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_d782bd52
type
Equivalent Exchange
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_d782bd52
comment
Equivalent Exchange: The main drama of the play is the fact that Alcestis died for her husband because he was promised by Apollo to have immortality.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_d782bd52
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_d782bd52
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_d782bd52
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_e3a7d2e6
type
Karmic Jackpot
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_e3a7d2e6
comment
Karmic Jackpot: Admetus's kindness to Apollo is what gets him the chance to avoid death. His kindness to Heracles is what allows Alcestis to survive.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_e3a7d2e6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_e3a7d2e6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_e3a7d2e6
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_f6972f9d
type
The Mourning After
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_f6972f9d
comment
The Mourning After: Admetus promised to never remarry after his wife's death. Mercifully, this doesn't last too long, thanks to Hercules.
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_f6972f9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_f6972f9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Alcestis (Theatre) / int_f6972f9d
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
type
Happy Ending
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
comment
Happy Ending: Which isn't exactly common in the Greek myths...
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
featureApplicability
1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
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 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
comment
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
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1.0
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
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 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
 Alcestis (Theatre) / int_name
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Alcestis (Theatre)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Ancient Greece / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Back from the Dead / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Character Title / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Chess with Death / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu? / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Important Haircut / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Legend / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Not Your Problem / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Proper Lady / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
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Public Domain Character / int_177ef8a1
 Alcestis (Theatre)
hasFeature
Surprisingly Happy Ending / int_177ef8a1