Amphitryon: Analysis of Major Characters
"Amphitryon" is a classic tale centered around themes of identity, loyalty, and divine intervention, primarily focusing on its major characters: Amphitryon, Alcmena, Jupiter, Mercury, and Sosia. Amphitryon, a Theban general, returns home after a successful campaign, only to find confusion and turmoil as he confronts a doppelgänger who claims to be him. His wife, Alcmena, who believed she had spent the night with Amphitryon, becomes entangled in this web of mistaken identities and divine machinations, questioning her husband's sanity as she prepares for childbirth.
Jupiter, the chief Roman god, takes on the guise of Amphitryon to seduce Alcmena, ensuring the night lasts longer by stopping the stars. His interest not only complicates matters but also guarantees Alcmena's safety during childbirth, leading to the birth of twins, one of whom is fathered by Jupiter. Mercury, Jupiter's son and messenger, adds to the confusion through his disguises and playful trickery, illuminating the absurdity of the situation while also revealing the vulnerability of the characters involved. Lastly, Sosia, Amphitryon's loyal but anxious slave, grapples with his own identity amidst the chaos, further highlighting the story's exploration of self and perception. Overall, "Amphitryon" offers a rich narrative that examines human emotions against the backdrop of the divine, fostering a complex interplay between love, loyalty, and deception.
Amphitryon: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Plautus
Genre: Play
Locale: Thebes
Plot: Comedy
Time: Second century
Amphitryon (am-FIHT-ree-uhn), a Theban general. Having defeated his enemies, Amphitryon is eager to return to his home and his wife. When she says that she already has seen him, he first thinks her unfaithful or mad. Confronted by a man who looks like him and insists he is indeed Amphitryon, he begins to think that he himself has lost his mind. When he breaks down the door to his house, he is insulted by Mercury, who is disguised as Sosia, then rebuked by his wife, and finally confronted with someone who looks just like him. On his way to kill everyone inside the house, Amphitryon is knocked down by one of Jupiter's thunderbolts. Coming back to consciousness, he is assured that his wife is innocent of any wrongdoing, and he bows to the will of Jupiter.
Alcmena (alk-MEE-nuh), the faithful wife of Amphitryon, who left her pregnant when he went to war. She believes that she has spent the night with her husband, and she has the golden cup he gave her to prove it. When he turns up again, with another golden cup, she is stunned. All she can do is deny his accusations of infidelity and conclude that he is mad. Alcmena goes into labor. She invokes the gods and, with much thunder but without pain, she produces twins, one of whom jumps up and kills two snakes. Jupiter explains that he is the father of the stronger son.
Jupiter, the chief Roman god. Desirous of Alcmena, he takes the form of her husband, spends the night with her, and impregnates her. To make the night last as long as possible, he arranges for the stars to stop in place. Jupiter returns to the house in part to tease Amphitryon; more important, he wishes to make sure that Alcmena comes to no harm, either from Amphitryon or in childbirth. He explains matters to both husband and wife and assures them of his friendship in the future.
Mercury, a Roman god, Jupiter's son and his messenger. Disguised as the slave Sosia, he addresses the audience in the prologue, explaining the situation and pointing out that both he and Jupiter will be actors in this story. When Sosia arrives, Mercury argues with him, beats him, and sends him back to Amphitryon. Later, summoned by Jupiter, Mercury appears as Sosia. This time, pretending to be drunk, he empties a pail of water over the head of the real Amphitryon.
Sosia (SOH-see-uh), the slave whom Amphitryon took along when he went off to war. Afraid of everyone and everything, Sosia is easily intimidated, and between Mercury's arguments and his blows, he comes to doubt his own identity. When he returns to the house, he tells his master that Alcmena must be mad. Later, he dutifully obeys Jupiter's command and brings the ship's pilot to the house, thus setting up the scene in which Amphitryon and Jupiter, in the guise of Amphitryon, accuse each other of being impostors.