Euripides’ Bacchae: Dionysus

Euripides’ Bacchae: Dionysus

Dionysus, son of the god Zeus and the mortal woman Semele, was an extremely complex god with several facets to him that could instil awe as well as fear quite quickly. Euripides' Bacchae play provides an excellent source on the many aspects of Dionysos. How does comprehending Euripides' Bacchae representation of Dionysos reveal about the relationship between gods and humankind? What type of god did Euripides want the audience to view Dionysus as being? Did he want the audience to see him as a vindictive and petty god or a psychological force? Maybe Euripides wanted the audience to see Dionysus was all of that and possibly much more. 

Upon reading the Bacchae, it is clear-cut that Dionysus was a very complex and abstract force that had a significant psychological effect on humans. Right from the start of the play Dionysus took no time in advising the audience of his psychological powers. At the beginning of the play, Dionysus speaks to the audience and says, "All Theban offspring-or, at least, all women-I've driven in a crazed fit from their homes" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Line 45).  Dionysus wants the audience to know he has extreme influential control over humans. Other translations of Euripides’ Bacchae have also agreed concerning Dionysus’s very formidable psychological abilities. A commentary by G.S. Kirk states, "These Theban women are no ordinary bacchants; they are "maddened" far beyond the normal degree..." (Euripides, The Bacchae of Euripides, 1979, p. 29). It is evident of Dionysus’ psychological ability to manipulate human’s minds was beyond any standard capacity.

There was even further recognition of Dionysus' psychological abilities within Euripides’ Bacchae when Dionysus was speaking with the chorus leader on the fact "Pentheus thought his palace was burning down" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Line 770). Also where he set up a phantom image of himself and "Pentheus charged it, slashing away at nothing but bright air, thinking he was butchering me" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 777-779).  E. R. Dodds validates Dionysus’s powers as shown via his religious cult and says it was a “psychological effect was to liberate the instinctive life in man from bondage imposed on it by reason and social custom” (Euripides, Bacchae, 1960, p. xx).

There is substantial verification of Dionysus psychological effect he had on humans; however, there is also strong evidence of him being petty and vindictive. For instance, where Dionysus tells the audience how he meted out his revenge onto Semele's sister's for the lie they told concerning Dionysus birth status. He states, "So I've driven those women from their homes in a frenzy--they now live in the mountains, out of their minds" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 41-43). John Edwin Sandys explanatory note clarifies how vindictive Dionysus could be by having a mother, Agave, behead her son, Pentheus. He notes, “…her inward sense returns, and she is at last conscious that the head she is holding in her hand is that of her own son” (Sandys, 1880, p. 286).

 Dionysus shows his ‘petty’ side with the telling to Pentheus how he was affronted by Pentheus's lack of sacrificial offerings and "For this neglect, I'll demonstrate to him, to all in Thebes, that I was born a god" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 61-63). The most obvious statement made by Dionysus that clearly shows how petty he can be is when he is speaking with Cadmus and says, "I was born a god, and you insulted me" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Line 1722). Due to his insult, Dionysus bans him from Thebes, saying, “Now you must leave—abandon your city for barbarian lands” (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 1695-1996). There is no doubt Dionysus had some incredibly "thin skin" as one might say. Even Cadmus commented, "Angry gods should not act just like humans" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Line 1723).  Advising Dionysus, he was not acting god-like and was being childish. Even E. R. Dodds comments, "Dionysus as something much more significant and much more dangerous than a wine-god. He is the principle of animal life, the hunted and the hunter--unrestrained potency" (Euripides, Bacchae, 1960, p. xx). This comment strengthens the formidable vindictiveness of Dionysus. An unrestrained potent animal that hunts his prey and exacts his revenge.

With Dionysus enormous ego and status of being a god, he explicitly set a line between being a human versus being a god, even though he was very human-like himself.  He separates the relationship between the two, ensuring the audience is acutely aware that humans are not in the same league as gods. The audience's first introduction of Dionysus has him speaking out to the audience advising them he was a god. "I've arrived here in the land of Thebes, I, Dionysus, son of Zeus..." (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 1-2), Zeus being a god, thus making him one.  He also commented that now he was in Thebes, "only after I've set those eastern lands dancing in the mysteries I established, making known to men my own divinity" (Euripides, Euripides Bacchae, 2008, Lines 21-23) advising all he of his divinity which only a god could possess. These passages set him being above humans and gave the impression all humans should be grateful for his presence in their lives.

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