ΟΙ ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΕΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΛΚΗΣΤΗ ΤΟΥ ΕΥΡΙΠΙΔΗ ΚΑΙ Η ΣΤΑΣΗ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΠΕΝΑΝΤΙ ΣΤΟΝ ΝΟΜΟ (Greek, Ancient (to 1453))

The Characters in Euripides' Alcestis and their Attitude towards the Law. (English)

A recurrent concern of Greek thought is brought to the stage in Alcestis: what are the limits of written law? May it sometimes be fairer to go beyond written law than to comply with it? This controversy, evident throughout the play, is articulated with the rhetorical resources we are familiar with mainly through Aristotle's Rhetoric. The most important one is persuasion through the character of the speaker: the audience will be persuaded if the speaking person shows himself as a reliable man (ἀξιοπιστία), possessing wisdom (φρόνησις), courage (ἀρετή) and good will (εὔνοια). The question regarding what is fair and what is legal is also treated in Rhetoric: Aristotle exposes the respective advantages and disadvantages of behaving strictly within the boundaries of written law or of giving priority to equity. Regarding this issue the principal characters in Alcestis have opposed ideas, which reflect their divergent ἦθος. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Logeion: Periodiko gia to Archaio Theatro is the property of University of Patras, Department of Theatre Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)