Amadeus

Considering Mozart’s unhappy end, who do you think is at fault for his fate? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

How does the play treat the women characters? Be specific. Considering that they are shown through Salieri’s eyes, what does this depiction say about how Salieri views women?

When the play was first produced in 1979, it was very popular and highly acclaimed by critics. What issues do you think arise when presenting the play today? Is there anything that hasn’t aged well? Anything that still resonates?

In the play, Salieri is narrating his own story and interactions with Mozart. Consider the way he tells the story and how others—particularly the Venticelli—interact with him as he tells it. Do you think Salieri is a reliable narrator? Why or why not? What do you think he is being truthful about? What do you think he is embellishing?

The play presents Salieri and Mozart as a dichotomy. Compare and contrast the two characters. There are certainly other talented composers alive during the era, so what is it about Mozart that leads Salieri to fixate on him?

How would you categorize Salieri’s relationship with Mozart? What are the contradictions in the way they relate to each other that make their relationship difficult to define? How does the relationship change over time? How does Mozart’s relationship with his father inform his relationship with Salieri?

Is Salieri a villain? Why or why not? What are some of the qualities that make him seem evil? What are some of his redeemable qualities?

How does the play comment on art as it relates to popular taste and society? Who decides what constitutes “good” art? How does this affect both Mozart and Salieri?