Analysis of Bacchae

Analysis of Bacchae

In Greece, theater was an important aspect of people's lives; it was a way for people to express religious and cultural issues through comedy and tragedy. The plays were acted in an outdoor theater with presence of only male actors that were dressed up using masks and other costume materials. The plays tended to be alternated by spoken sections and chorus scenes. The plays done by the Greeks were done at religious festivals to honor the Gods. The god that was being honored in Bacchae was the god Dionysus, the god of wine and of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology.

During the years of Greek religion, gods were a part of everyday living and each god represented a certain aspect of life. The God Dionysus allowed for a more open, festive lifestyle compared to the rule of King Pentheus. Dionysus allowed the people of Thebes to pursue self-control, but under his divinely powers it led the people to intoxicate themselves into a state of no control. I feel as though Dionysus or the concept to freely be able to become subject to festivities through intoxication or ecstasy allowed the people to free themselves from the struggles of Greek life. Everything must come in moderation and balance to maintain a stabilized life though. He had many followers in the Greek society, which mainly consisted of wild female followers called maenads. These women seemed as though they were in an intoxicated state. The woman prior becoming maenads were the ones doubting Dionysus's powers over the people of Thebes. The maenads were in no control of their being, due to the possessed state they were under. They would act as mad women who would rip up animals and the like in the play, Bacchae, ripped King Pentheus to pieces because of his arrogance towards Dionysus's rule. The women under King Pentheus rule were supposed to live a controlled life, which consisted of staying home and being a woman of society, on the lines of being a housewife. The power of Dionysus over this time in Greek life created much conflict among the ideas of how a civilized society should be run. Is it to control the people or is it best interest in the people to have freedom?

In our society we are allowed the freedom to pursue life filled with ecstasy, but also must have the understanding that there must be control. To have control of your own self to follow the rules of society which can consists of work, religion for some and following the laws the civilization has agreed upon. You cannot constrict a society, because when people start to deny that lifestyle it will get torn apart. To be able to have a healthy self and society one must This shows the need to for moderation and balance needed to avoid the extremes of tyranny that can evolve in societies.