Heracles

Question 1

Who is the author?

Answer 1

Euripides

Question 2

Who are the main characters?

Answer 2

Heracles, Megara, their 3 sons, Amphitryon, Lycus, Iris, Hera, Theseus

Question 3

What is the background to the story?

Answer 3

• Zeus sleeps with Alcmene pretending to be her husband Amphitryon
• Tells Helios to go away such that the night never ends
• The real Amphitryon came back home and also made love with Alcmene
• Two sons: Alcides (becomes Heracles) and Iphicles (who has a son called Iolaos)
• Heracles is hated by Hera as he is a reminder of her husbands infidelity

Question 4

Explain the premise of the story.

Answer 4

• Heracles is married to Megara who is the daughter of the lawful king of Creon
• Creon is usurped by Lycus while Heracles is away on his 12 journeys
• Fearing their execution, the family takes refuge at the Altar of Zeus
• Lycus afraid that Heracles kids will take revenge on him for usurping their grandfather plans to kill Megara, Heracles’ children and Amphitryon
• Lycus asks his men to begin setting up wood around the altar and then burn them alive
• Since fire is considered a cowards death, Megara asks for sometime such that she can prepare her kids in the death robes prior to execution
• During this time, Heracles comes back from his journeys and learns about what Lycus has done
• Lycus comes back and sees that they have not come out of the altar yet so goes inside to get Megara and the kids
• Instead of facing them, he sees Heracles and they engage in a fight ending Lycus’ life
• The Chorus sing a joyful song of celebration, but it is interrupted by the appearance of Iris and Madness, hovering over the house.
• Iris announces that she has come to make Herakles kill his own children by driving him mad.
• A Messenger reports that when the fit of madness fell on Herakles, he believed he had to kill Eurystheus, the king who assigned his labours. Moving from room to room, he fancied that he was going from country to country. When Amphitryon tried to stop him, he thought it was Eurystheus, and his own children those of Eurystheus. In his madness he killed his three sons and his wife.
• Feeling soo bad for his actions, he decides to commit suicide
• At which point Theseus arrives and learns about everything that happened
• Theseus saves Heracles from suicide and takes him to Athens with him