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Alcesta... is this a name?

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Lysianne

Lysianne Report 16 Apr 2004 21:07

Hi I've definitely seen it in French (as Helen said); I'm sure Helen's right about the Racine; my French lit at university was almost exclusively medieval, so anything past about 1350 is beyond my time. There is also a character in Molière's play Le Misanthrope called Alceste, though... Lysianne

Sue (Sylvia Z )

Sue (Sylvia Z ) Report 16 Apr 2004 18:27

Thank you Jan and Helen It makes a bit more sense now. Sue

Unknown

Unknown Report 16 Apr 2004 13:15

Probably a version of Alcestis. She was a character in Greek mythology who offered to die in place of her husband Admetus. Later Admetus' friend Hercules rescued her. I believe there was a French play called Alceste [by Racine?] so perhaps Alcesta was an Anglicised version of that. Helen.

Janet

Janet Report 16 Apr 2004 11:27

I typed Alcesta into Google, and some results came up - one indicating that its a type of butterfly, and another giving it as someone's first name. Jan.

Sue (Sylvia Z )

Sue (Sylvia Z ) Report 16 Apr 2004 11:04

I have a printout of 1851 Census and one female christian name seems to be spelt Alcesta. Has anyone come across this before? I know that one ancestor was called Ladysmith after the siege there, but is Alcesta something historical or just made up? Any ideas please. Sue