Guide Note: The Bacchae tells the story of the young and angry god Dionysus. Dionysus comes to Thebes to vindicate his mother Semele of the royal house of Cadmus whose family believes that she lied when she said that Zeus was the baby's father. In Thebes many people including Pentheus have been illegally practicing Dionysiac rites, but do not believe that the Dionysus in front of them is a god. Dionysus is locked up, but breaks free and has Pentheus' palace burned down. As part of his revenge he convinces Pentheus to dress as a woman for the rites and then has Pentheus murdered and his own mother rip off his head. The revealing of the details of Pentheus' murder destroys the house. Pentheus then has Cadmus and his wife Harmonia turned into snakes.
Fast Facts:
- Also known as The Bacchantes
- Premiered in 408 or 409 B.C.
- First performed by Euripides sons after his death
- Originally written in Greek
- Set in Thebes
- A tragic play
- A major theme is piety versus skepticism
- Director and Writer Brad Mays made a film based on his stage production adaptation
- Major theme is balance between control and freedom
- Wole Soyinka's play The Bacchae of Euripides: A Communion Rite is a modern adaptation
- Basis for Harry Partch's opera Revelation in the Courthouse Park
Important Quotations:
- You have a glib tongue, as though in your right mind, Yet in your words there is no real sense Wretched man, how ignorant you are of what you are saying! Before you were out of your mind-but now you are raving mad.
- What is wisdom? Or what fairer gift from the gods in men's eyes than to hold the hand of power over the head of one's enemies? And 'what is fair is always followed.'
- The brash unbridled tongue, the lawless folly of fools, will end in pain. But the life of wise content is blest with quietness, escapes the storm and keeps its house secure.
