Alcestis is an Athenian
tragedy written by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. Alcestis is the
central character of this play. In ancient Greece, it was not possible to highlight
a female character in plays. However, Euripides dared to glorify a female
figure instead of a male character.
Alcestis
plays the most important role in this play. She is the heroine and main
character around whom the whole story takes place. This play is about an
admirable marriage. She has been glorified. Alcestis’ self-sacrifice makes her
an ideal wife. Alcestis represents an image of the women’s life. Euripides also
represents an image of the woman of his society. As Admetus is in trouble, so it
is Alcestis’ duty to get rid of the trouble from her husband’s life. It gives
us a glimpse of the society where it is believed that a man’s life is more
valuable than a woman’s. However, that does not take away any glory from
Alcestis because the father of Admetus did not have the courage to die in his
place. It shows that Alcestis was a brave woman and braver than a man.
Euripides
has dealt with love, devotion, passion, and sacrifice of a woman. Alcestis is a
young lady and she has chance to lead her life happily. Since she loves her
husband, she cannot imagine a life without her beloved husband. For this
reason, she has become ready to die in place of her husband. No one was ready
to offer himself in Admetus’ place. But it is Alcestis who recruits herself to
die for her husband. It shows her love and devotion towards her husband. For
this reason, she has been glorified by everyone including Chorus, servant,
Admetus and Pheres, the father of Admetus.
Two
choruses of men enter the scene. The first chorus observes that the palace
seems very quiet. The second chorus wonders why none of the king’s relatives is
around to tell them whether the queen, Alcestis, daughter of Pelias, is dead
and they should mourn for her death or she is still alive. They go on to say
that everyone believes “She is the noblest wife a man ever had.”
Because
they hear or see no activity signaling the preparation of funeral rites, the
choristers think she must be alive. In order to support this view, the first
chorus said if she were dead then the palace did not remain silent. The second
chorus said that she must have died by now. However, the first chorus said that
at least her dead body was not carried out to burial. Though the second chorus
questioned over this matter, the first chorus said why it is not possible. He
said that for Admetus it is not possible to bury his “true and noble wife”
secretly without calling friends to mourn for her death.
A
female maid servant comes from the palace weeping. Looking at her, chorus asked
whether Alcestis is alive or dead. She tells the men that Alcestis is on the
verge of death, “both living and dead”. The palace has already prepared for her
funeral. The chorus leader tells the servant, “Let her be sure of this: her
death will make her famous as the most noble of all women in the wide earth.”
The
servant said that truly Alcestis is the noblest woman and no one can question
about this. According to the servant, she is the perfect example of an ideal
wife and no one can surpass her. By dying for Admetus, she proved that she
honors her husband. When Alcestis became aware that the day of her death had
arrived, she bathed herself, put on fine attire, and prayed to the earth
goddess that she would watch over her orphaned son and daughter and when they
are older marry them to noble spouses.
Admetus
also glorified his wife saying “your love demands my worship”. Because of his
wife, he could escape death. Alcestis agreed to die in his place. A woman can
take such kind of decision if she truly loves her husband. Later, Admetus
admitted that it is impossible to live without his wife.
Admetus
told his inability to bring Alcestis back from the mouth of death. He said if
he could sing like Orpheus then he would go down to the underworld and pleased
Pluto and his wife Persephone with his voice and brought her back living to the
light of day and neither Cerberus nor even Charon’s ferry which is loaded with
the souls of dead men could stop him. He also said that when the time will come
for him to die, he will leave order to bury his body in her coffin. In the
Underworld, they will once again be together. He said,
“I
will not, even in death, be parted from you, who alone are true to me.”
Pheres,
the father of Admetus, praises Alcestis as a noble and modest wife. He goes on
to say that her courageous and noble sacrifice has given new dignity of life to
“the whole female sex”.
Her
devotion and sacrifice towards her husband glorified her. She has been praised
by all characters of this play.
