Humans and the divine in Bacchae

One more time about the course of Mythology J

Among reading tasks and watching special videos, the participants of the course were to fulfill writing assignments.

My peer evaluator shared his/her view upon my work in the following way: “The essay answers question 4 by giving both a general reasoning supplemented with specific examples. I also found the way the student weaves in structuralist and functionalist arguments very well thought out. Although answering such a broad question as this would seem to pose a great difficulty, the student manages to be succinct in a very coherent and easy to understand way. Strong writing style, no grammatical or spelling mistakes. The student chooses very interesting and relevant points, both from the reading and from her/his understanding to make the point. The lines from the Bacchae chosen to supplement the argument are interesting and on-point. Again, wonderful use of tools from the mythological tool-box: gave both a structuralist and functionalist perspective.”

I am flattered J

Now I want to share my essay.

The relationship between humans and the divine in Bacchae

                                   by Tatiana Vetrova

Despite fantastic power, the Greek gods and goddesses have such recognizable human feelings as pride, love, jealousy and the thirst for revenge. The deities often leave Mount Olympus to become involved in the affairs of mortals, interacting with the mortals as their patrons, revengeful enemies or even lovers.

Dionisus, Louvre

In the Bacchae written by Euripides we can observe complicated relations between a new Olympian god, the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele, named Dionysus, and a king of Thebes named Pentheus.

Pan, a companion of Dionysus, Louvre

It is notable that in comparison to some other tragedies in this very work an Olympian god plays an exceptionally active part. The reader finds Dionysus a cunning god introducing a new way of worship. He is manipulative. He plays with the king as if the least was his puppet. “In this business I was playing with him - he thought he was tying me up, the fool!” (J.Johnston,72). Dionysus is revengeful towards human; he dresses rational and repulsive Pentheus up and sends him to death by his own mother. “Pity me, mother, don’t kill your child because I’ve made mistakes”(J.Johnston,128).

Death of Pentheus, Louvre

From the structural point of view, we see the opposition between old and new-coming traditions, old and new perception of the world of the youth and the old. So in the Bacchae the reader sees Pentheus’ complete rejection of the god “Don’t infect me with your madness. As for the one who in this foolishness has been your teacher, I’ll bring him to justice” (J.Johnston,17). Pentheus does not admit bacchanalia, he is against the new way of behaviour of his mother and his female relatives “claiming they’re Maenads busy worshipping” (J.Johnston,23).

While the elder generation, represented by a former king of Thebes, Cadmus and an old prophet named Tiresias, accepts Dionysus. They are eager to worship him by dancing, singing, consuming wine etc. “We’re the only ones whose minds are clear. As for the others, well, their thinking’s wrong” (J.Johnston,24).

Considering the functional tool, the Bacchae tragedy keeps a social rule of being like others. The social norm produces a space where it is fine to violate normal social practice. Dionysus’s Cult is explained as a new way of social behaviour. Thus, collective effervescence is well shown through dialogues of main characters and remarks made by Chorus.

All in all, in Bacchae the reader follows a constant struggle between a hard-edged rationalism and the divine presence. Dionysus warns Pentheus all the time, persuading him that there is a new powerful god. “Dionysus sent me—the son of Zeus…I warn you—you shouldn’t tie me up”, however, Pentheus does not believe the stranger, and remains deaf: “I’m more powerful than you, so I’ll have you put in chains” (J.Johnston,123-127). This contradiction leads to the tragic ending of the king and the subsequent exile of his relatives out of Thebes. Unfortunately, common sense of Pentheus is overset by a new tradition. “You’re quite ignorant of why you live, what you do, and who you are” (J.Johnston,129).

Amphora for Wine, and the author of the article =)

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