Alke is the first nymph who is sent to Circe’s island. Circe tries to welcome her, but Alke is rude and sulky. When Circe tries to dismiss her, though, Alke defiantly stays put, telling Circe that she has no power in comparison to the gods who sent her. The gods who sent her are men, and therefore they have more power than Circe, a woman. Alke is used to the sexism of ancient Greece, so she accepts these gods’ power as “natural . . . like the movements of the spheres.” Instead, Alke uses her energy to defy Circe who, as an unmarried woman, is “in her reach.” Alke’s actions show how the women of ancient Greece often scrabble among themselves for power because they see taking down each other as their only chance to advance—the men are beyond their reach.
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Alke Character Timeline in Circe
The timeline below shows where the character Alke appears in Circe. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 14
...own loneliness. One day, Circe’s napping is interrupted by a nymph who introduces herself as Alke. Alke announces that her father, a lesser river-god, has ordered her to serve Circe. Circe...
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Alke reveals that she was sentenced to serve Circe for a year as punishment for falling...
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But Alke is a tedious companion: all she does is complain. Annoyed, Circe dismisses her, telling her...
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Circe momentarily considers urging Alke to recognize that she is not the one Alke should rebel against, but then she...
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