Cithaeron , and let loose in Dionysus’ wild, wine-fueled Bacchic rituals. This crew of new Maenads (followers of Dionysus) includes Pentheus’ mom, Agave. ... Then the god of wine bedazzles Pentheus, and convinces him it’s a good idea to dress like a woman, climb up a tree, and spy on the Maenads.
How is Pentheus characterized?
Structurally Pentheus is Dionysus’s foil , thus he is a preserver of law and order, a military man, a stern patriarch, and ultimately a doomed mortal. Pentheus is not merely a mirror or inverted double of Dionysus; he is puritanical and obstinate, but also curious and voyeuristic.
Why does Pentheus dressed as a woman?
The god demands that Pentheus dress himself as a woman, and Pentheus, perversely obsessed with the idea of seeing his mother and the other women revel in the mountains, complies. Pentheus, the young man who has insisted again and again that the old hierarchies of gender be preserved, is made to cross-dress.
What is Pentheus mistaken for?
She placed the head on a stick and took it back to Thebes, but only realized whose head it was after meeting her father Cadmus. The name “Pentheus”, as Dionysus and Tiresias both point out, means “ Man of Sorrows ” and derives from πένθος, pénthos, sorrow or grief, especially the grief caused by the death of a loved one.
What disguise must Pentheus wear when he leaves the city with Dionysus?
c) With the possibility of killing the Bacchae. d) With the possibility of rescuing his mother. In-Depth Study Question: What disguise must Pentheus wear for he can the leave the city with Dionysus? a) He must dress as a lion the sacred animal of the god Bacchus (Dionysus) .
What prophecy does Cadmus hear after killing the serpent?
He found their slain bodies and the great serpent, and after a great struggle, Cadmus killed the snake. He stood staring at the snake when Athene descended and told him not to stare at the snake and warned that one day he would be a snake as well.
What happens to Pentheus at the end of the tragedy?
The tragedy is based on the Greek myth of King Pentheus of Thebes and his mother Agave, and their punishment by the god Dionysus (who is Pentheus’s cousin). ... At the end of the play, Pentheus is torn apart by the women of Thebes and his mother Agave bears his head on a pike to her father Cadmus .
Who is responsible for Pentheus death?
Conclusion: Pentheus and His Untimely Death Though it is generally accepted that Pentheus was murdered by his mother as a result of his refusal to accept Dionysos, it can also be claimed with certainty that the cause of Pentheus’s death was prohibiting the bacchanalian feasts to honor Dionysos.
Is Pentheus a good leader?
Pentheus, the antagonist of the play, is the naïve king of Thebes and Dionysus’ cousin. ... Pentheus tries to play the role of strong patriarch , but shows himself to be impetuous and ill-equipped for leadership.
Who is the hero in Bacchae?
There’s no doubt that Dionysus is the protagonist of The Bacchae. He’s the center around which the play revolves. He’s the one who disturbs the world of the play by bringing his new religion home to Thebes.
Why does Juno punish her husband?
Soon afterward, Callisto gives birth to a son, Arcas. After this, Juno reveals that it was she who had brought to pass Callisto’s pregnancy and motherhood , as punishment for sleeping with her husband, Jupiter.
Which God did Actaeon offend and how?
In another version, he offended Artemis by boasting that his skill as a hunter surpassed hers. Actaeon being hunted by his own hounds, sculpture at the Royal Palace at Caserta, Italy.
What is the sin of Pentheus?
The nature of Pentheus’ final sin is that of a man (or boy) thinking he is punishing another human, not a god . At that single point, Dionysus is humanly sympathetic, before the power shifts.
How does Dionysus disguise himself?
Dionysus will disguise himself as a man ; he summons the chorus of Bacchants (women in Dionysiac frenzy) (1-63). The chorus sings a hymn to Dionysus, telling of his birth, locating the origin of his worship in Crete, and evoking the atmosphere of a Bacchic celebration (64-169).
What is the message of Bacchae?
The Bacchae depicts a struggle to the death between the twin forces of control (restraint) and freedom (release) , and permits Dionysus to provide an answer to this question.
Did Cadmus worship Dionysus?
Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, and Tiresias, the famous seer, show up all decked out to worship Dionysus . The two old men are wise and know better than to trifle with a god.
