Poetry · Character
Arcas
The old, faithful servant who carried the infant Aepytus to safety and now shuttles between mother and son in secret.
supporting
Also known as Arcas Faithful
First appearance: merope
As a supporting figure in Poetry, Arcas is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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Arcas is the channel through whom Merope and her hidden son communicate, an old man whose loyalty has outlasted two kings and one murder. His devotion is also his flaw: he has spent years watching Merope's grief and his…
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The fuller portrait of Arcas sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Arcas in meropeCharacter Web
10 connectionsA slice of how Arcas sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Merope and Messenia
- Protagonist
- Persian epic heroes
- Miscellaneous literary figures
+5 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In "Longing," the emotional peak occurs as the speaker shifts from passive despair to an active, desperate ple…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
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