Characers of the bacchae
Pentheus
Dionysus
Cadmus
Tiresias
Agave
Chorus
First messaner
Second Messanger
king of thebes
Grandson of Cadmus
Refuses the worship of Dionysus
Because it disrupts the city
Young
Shown when he is said to not yet have a beard
Stubborn
A Victim
He refuses to accept Dionysus throughout
He simply wants what is best for the city, but is killed for this
Killed by his own mother
The Antagonist
Come to Thebes to prove his status as a God
Does this by making all of the women bacchants
This is the main issue that Pentheus has with him, as it is causing diruption in his city and making him look like a bad leader
Disguises as a stranger in the play
depicted as a beautiful
Cunning
Tricks pentheus into thinking a bull is him
Tricks pentheus into going to the top of the mountain
Pentheus and Dionysus' grandfather
Worships Dionysus
Does this "in case" he is a god, and because it will be prestigious to be associated with a god
This shows he isnt necessarily a believer, but he wants what is best for Thebes
Victim
Although he worships Dionysus, he still recieves an unfortunate end
He laments in the end of the play, as he no longer has anyone to protect him, and is banished by dionysus
A group of Bacchants from Asia
Serve to heighten the drama of the play
Very biased to Dionysus
Used as commentary to the action
Pentheus' Mother
Has become a Bacchant
Extremely tragic character of the play
Seen to be eating animals raw, and using her thyrsus to draw milk honey and wine from the ground
One of the sisters who doubted his God status
Kills her son due to a lack of free will caused by bacchic worship
Exiles herself from the city
This lack of free will is shown by her coming back and celebrating, as she thinks she has hunted a lion
the blind prophet
Friend of Cadmus
Worships dionysus
Tries to convince Pentheus to accept Dionysus
"you have no idea how great he will be"
The herdsman
Gives an account of the activities on top of the mountain
Brings news of pentheus' death
Delivers the moral message at the end
"moderation and reverence for gods are a mortals best posession"
Scholars
Foley - Dionysus directs his own play within the bacchae
Morwood - Dionysus has profoundly disruped cities social structure
Scholars
Carey - Pentheus becomes Alienated
Roisman - not all good not all bad
click to edit
Scholars
Roisman - Her recognition scene is one of the most harrowing in tragedy
Scholars
Wyles - The chorus' ecstatic joy of pentheus' death is chilling
Mossman - Weakly Viscious