Dionysus and the Unraveling of Ideologies in The Bacchae Essay

Dionysus and the Unraveling of Ideologies in The Bacchae Some evaluations claim that the Dionysus appearing in The Bacchae is fairly truthful embodiment of the ideals of ancient Athens. He demands only worship and proper venerate for his name, two matters of honor that pervaded both the Greek tragedies and the pious society that viewed them. In other plays, Oedipus consultations with Apollo and the many Choral appeals to Zeus reveal the Athenian respect for their gods, epoch Electras need for revenge and Antigones obligation to bury Polyneices both epitomize the themes of respect and dignity. Yet although Dionysus personifies these two motifs, his clashes with the rest of Athenian tradition seem to make him its true adversary. Dionysius distinctly opposes the usual views on gender, age, rationality and divinity, leaving the reader to wonder whether these contrasts were Euripidean attempts to illuminate specific facets of the culture itself. Examination of Dionysuss challenges sho uld begin with The Bacchaes most obvious sexual perversion of custom, the question of gender. As Dionysus indicates early in the play, the enraptured band of Bacchant followers is comprised only of females Every woman in Thebes-but the women only- / I drove from fireside (35-36). Though Cadmus further illuminates the matter by raising the question, Are we the only men / who will dance for Bacchus? (195-196), the text offers no definitive explanation for why Dionysus calls solely upon the women. A superficial reading might suggest that Euripides attempted to portray the stereotypical weaker sex as the one more susceptible to encroaching(a) passions than men, especially eros and daemonic possession, but more is probably at stake. As Edith Hall ... ...ty since things could happen in the real life of Athens which were virtually out of the question in tragedy, and vice versa. Perhaps the safest assessment of Dionysus is that while not a direct opponent of the traditional ways, his p resence, and especially his effect on other characters, serves to suck up many social norms. According to Bernad Knox, From start to finish, Euripides was attempting to show citizens bred in the traditional views...that such conceptions of the gods should offend them. Perhaps we as readers will never fully find out the Dionysus that appears in this play, but a closing look at a remark of the Chorus may bring us a step impending to this understanding --What is wisdom? What gift of the gods is held in honor like this to hold your hand victorious over the heads of those you hate? Honor is precious forever. (877-881)