The Bacchae (Summary)

 

Summary

Dionysus, Greek god of wine, fertility, ritual madness, and ecstasy, stands outside of the royal palace of Thebes. He has taken human form and returned to Thebes, the town of his birth, to avenge the dishonorable treatment of his deceased mother, Semele.

Semele was the daughter of Cadmus, the elderly Theban who has given over the rule of the kingdom to his grandson, and Dionysus’ cousin, Pentheus. Semele was impregnated by Zeus, the king of the gods. Hera, Zeus’ wife, was jealous of Semele’s relationship with Zeus and tricked Semele into asking Zeus to reveal himself in his true form—a lightning storm, which struck and killed Semele.

Dionysus tells the audience he has arrived in Thebes from the East, where he established his “rites and mysteries” and “set all Asia dancing.” He’s set the city “ringing” with his “ecstasies” and “the cries of women, clothed in fawn-skin, holding the thyrsus.” He explains that he’s targeted Thebes because his mother Semele’s sisters, Agave, Ino, and Autonoe, deny that he is the son of Zeus and dishonor his mother’s memory. They thought the story was just a ruse thought up by Cadmus because Semele had a scandalous affair with a mortal man.

Dionysus wants Thebes to “learn its lesson” and follow his rites and rituals. All of the women of the city are already entranced—they’ve decamped to the mountains, driven “delirious” by Dionysus. They are his Bacchae. He says that when the Thebans realize his godliness they will see Semele’s innocence.

 

Dionysus is angry with Pentheus, the king of Thebes and grandson of Cadmus, for disrespecting him by refusing to offer sacrifice or prayer in his honor. He says that once his task is done in Thebes, he’ll move on to other cities—but if anyone tries to stop his female followers, the Bacchae, he will “bring on war.” Dionysus calls on his “women” to beat their drums at the palace doors, before leaving to join the dance of his Bacchae on Mount Cithaeron.

The chorus sings Dionysus’ praises, charting their journey from Asia to Greece. They say those who give themselves to Dionysus will be blessed. They also recount the story of Dionysus’ birth. According to the chorus, if Theban women dress in ivy and wool, carry the thyrsus, and dance, they will be “freed from themselves, possessed by Dionysius!”

Summary

Analysis

Tiresias, the elderly blind prophet, enters dressed as a Dionysian follower. He calls to Cadmus to come out of the palace and join him. Cadmus arrives and greets him warmly, also dressed in Bacchant garbs. Both of them are excited to join in the dance, despite their old age. They’re the only men in Thebes willing to dance for Dionysus. Cadmus tells Tiresias that he can see Pentheus approaching.

Pentheus appears, accompanied by his attendants. He has been out of the country for a few days and is furious at the scenes he’s come back to. He complains about Dionysus and the way he has deceived the women of the town. He believes that “drink is at the bottom of it all,” and that it’s making the women promiscuous. He boasts that he’s already imprisoned many of them, and that he will hunt down the rest on the mountain—even his mother, Agave, and his aunts, Ino and Autonoe.

Pentheus goes on, lambasting Dionysus as just some “charlatan magician”; Pentheus vows to put a stop to his mischief and behead him. Pentheus scorns the idea that Dionysus is a god, and says Dionysus and Semele were killed for the latter’s lie that she had slept with Zeus.

Pentheus notices Cadmus and Tiresias and their Dionysian attire. He mocks them, and tells Cadmus he is ashamed of him. He accuses Tiresias of embracing Dionysus so he can make money on the side from burnt offerings and prophecies. The chorus accuses Pentheus of “blasphemy.”

 

Tiresias argues in Dionysus’ favor, saying the god will be a great power in Greece. He says that the ecstatic rituals of Dionysus bring the “power of second sight.” He also praises Dionysus for the gift of wine, which brings “peace to the troubled mind” and gives people “blessed sleep.” He says Dionysus doesn’t corrupt women, but releases their “true nature,” and that Pentheus is “mad” not to pay tribute.

Cadmus tells Pentheus that he needs to follow “customs and traditions.” He reasons that, even if Dionysus isn’t a god, it does no harm to act as if he is. Firstly, they’ll avoid divine retribution and, secondly, it will bring honor to their family to be associated with godliness. He reminds Pentheus of the tragic end Pentheus’ cousin Actaeon, who was torn apart by dogs because he bragged that his hunting skills were superior to a god’s.

Pentheus rejects Cadmus and Tiresias’ arguments, ordering his servants to capture the priest—actually Dionysus in disguise—who is leading the women astray. Tiresias and Cadmus leave to pay their respects to the god, and Tiresias predicts that Pentheus’ actions will “end in folly.” The chorus sings further praises of Dionysus, warning that “over-reaching mortals simply shorten their lives.”

A servant enters, bringing in the enchained Dionysus, still in disguise and willingly held captive. He also tells Pentheus that the imprisoned Bacchae have miraculously escaped their shackles and are now returning to the mountain.

Pentheus takes an intrigued look at Dionysus, saying that he is “not entirely unattractive” and praising his skin and hair. Pentheus interrogates Dionysus, who says he has come to Thebes to bring the rituals of his god, Dionysus. Dionysus says only “initiates” may know the secrets of Dionysian “mysteries.”

Dionysus’ evasiveness angers Pentheus. Pentheus cuts off Dionysus’ hair and snatches his thyrsus, before ordering him to be locked up. Dionysus warns Pentheus that he will pay for his “blasphemy.” He says, “put chains on me, and you are binding Dionysus.” He is led off in chains, and Pentheus exits too.

Summary

Analysis

The chorus sings about Dionysus’ birth and Pentheus’ betrayal of his origins. The singers call on Dionysus to “come down from Olympus” and free them and their leader (Dionysus in disguise), and punish Pentheus.

Dionysus calls to the chorus and his other followers from within the palace. He brings about a great earthquake to “shake the roots of the world” and destroy the palace, which goes up in flames and crumbles to the ground. Dionysus is reunited with the fearful chorus, who, like Pentheus, perceive him as a priest. Those in the chorus are in awe of the power of Dionysus; he comforts them.

Dionysus explains to the chorus how he escaped from the palace. Apparently, he had deceived Pentheus throughout their interaction. Pentheus thought he had shackled a Dionysian priest, but in fact it was just a bull. Then Dionysus had set the palace ablaze. Pentheus had tried to stab his prisoner, but had only managed to stab the shadows.

Pentheus arrives with his retinue, furious that his prisoner has escaped. Suddenly he notices Dionysus—still in the guise of the Dionysian priest—standing there, and is baffled as to how he can be “free, standing at the gate of my palace?” Pentheus is enraged, and orders his servants to lock all of the city gates. Dionysus says walls mean nothing to a god.

 

A herdsman arrives with a message from Mt. Cithaeron. He has come to tell Pentheus of what he’s seen: the Bacchae are running wild. He tells Pentheus he saw Agave, Ino, and Autonoe leading three bands of women; at first they seemed to be resting calmly.

But then, continues the herdsman, Agave heard the sound of cattle and sprung to her feet, waking up the rest of the Bacchae. As they woke, some of them “drew gazelles and wolf cubs to their swollen breasts and let them feed.” They fixed up their Dionysian garments and tapped their thyrsi on the rocks, bringing forth water, wine, milk, and honey.

Someone from the city asked the herdsman if they should earn the “gratitude of the king” and capture Pentheus’ mother, Agave. They lay in ambush as the Bacchae came by, practicing their rituals, seemingly possessed. The herdsman jumped out at Agave, but she quickly called on the women to turn their thyrsi against the men.

The herdsman and his group fled from the Bacchae—the women then turned on the nearby herd of cattle. They tore apart the animals—even the bulls—limb from limb with their bare hands. Body parts were strewn everywhere, “dripping from the trees.”

The Bacchae continued their rampage, heading to nearby villages, where they snatched children and pillaged houses. “Flames danced in their hair,” and the villagers’ weapons were powerless to stop them—their spears drew no blood. The women flung their thyrsus wands at the men, ripping open their flesh. The herdsman says it was clear some god was empowering them. He implores Pentheus to welcome this god, whoever he may be, to Thebes. Making his exit, the herdsman praises Dionysus for his gift of wine.

The leader of the chorus tells Pentheus that there is no god greater than Dionysus. Pentheus tells his servant to go and mobilize the Theban army, declaring “we will not be treated this way by women. It is against nature!”

Dionysus, still posing as the priest, offers Pentheus a last chance to avoid “taking arms against a god.” He warns that there will grave consequences if Pentheus tries to drive the women from Mt. Cithaeron. He says, “if I were you I’d offer up a sacrifice, not a spear: You are a mortal against a god.”

Dionysus offers to bring the Bacchae back to Thebes with no bloodshed, but Pentheus doesn’t trust him. Pentheus tells his guard to bring him his armor, and Dionysus to shut up.

Dionysus cunningly asks whether Pentheus would like to spy on the Bacchae as they “go about their mysteries.” Pentheus says he would pay a lot of money to do so, though it would “pain” him to see them drunk. He suggests that he could hide in the trees, but Dionysus says the Bacchae would “hunt him down” if they discovered him.

Dionysus tells Pentheus that in order for him to spy on the Bacchae, he needs to disguise himself as a woman. Though Pentheus finds the idea shameful, he admits it makes sense. Dionysus instructs him to put on a “wig of flowing hair,” a dress that goes down to his feet, and a headdress. To complete the outfit, he needs a “dappled fawn-skin” and a thyrsus.

Pentheus hesitates about the cross-dressing plan, but Dionysus says it’s either that or “fight the women and spill blood.” Pentheus goes into the ruins of the palace to think about what he should do. Dionysus makes it clear to the chorus that he intends to drive Pentheus mad and embarrass him. Then, Pentheus will “finally know Dionysus, son of Zeus, a god both terrible and gentle to the world of man.” He, too, enters the palace.

Summary

The chorus sings about gods and honor: “the greatest gift of the gods is honor: to reach your hand in triumph over the heads of the enemy.” The chorus members sing that the gods will crush “men of arrogance.”  According to the chorus, everyone in the world competes for wealth and power, but those “who live from day to day” will be the happy ones.

Dionysus comes back, ushering out Pentheus, who is dressed as a woman and carrying a thyrsus. Pentheus seems disoriented, telling Dionysus that he appears to be a bull. Dionysus says it’s because he is a god, but Pentheus doesn’t understand him properly. Pentheus asks if he looks like his aunt Ino or his mother, Agave.

Dionysus fixes up Pentheus’ hair, which Pentheus says must have come loose in “all that Bacchic ecstasy there in the palace.” They also make sure Pentheus’ dress is lined up nicely. Pentheus asks which hand he ought to hold the thyrsus in to look “more like a true and proper Bacchante.”

Dionysus hints that Pentheus is heading towards his death, but the latter doesn’t pick up on the suggestion. Dionysus says Pentheus will be carried back “held in his mother’s arms,” an idea that delights Pentheus. Pentheus, says Dionysus, “will be spoiled.” They leave for the mountains.

The chorus invokes the “hounds of madness” to run to the mountains and send the Bacchae into a frenzy against “the man in woman’s clothes.” Pentheus, they sing, is walking, is walking “headlong” to his death. If only he had been “pure and pious,” they lament. They call on Dionysus to appear as a bull, a “many-headed serpent” and a “lion in flames”—and to “throw out the net of death.”

Summary

The second messenger arrives, bearing “mournful” news—Pentheus is dead. The leader of the chorus celebrates. When chastised by the messenger, the chorus leader says: “I am no Greek, and he was not my king. I praise my lord in my own way. This news frees us from the fear of chains.”

The second messenger recounts what happened to Pentheus. He went with Pentheus and Dionysus to Mt. Cithaeron. They came across some of the Bacchae, who were singing songs and repairing their thyrsi.

Pentheus wanted to get a closer look, continues the second messenger, and asked Dionysus if it would be a good idea to climb up a nearby fir tree. Dionysus pulled the highest branch of the tree to the ground with ease and sat Pentheus down, before letting the tree return to its normal height.

The Bacchae then spotted Pentheus at the top of the tree. The second messenger relates how the voice of Dionysus came from the sky and told the “Bacchae” that here was the man who “mocked” him and denied his “sacred mysteries.” With lightning flashing in the sky, Dionysus implored his followers to retaliate against Pentheus for his “crimes.”

The Bacchae threw stones and branches at Pentheus, but he held his grip. Then Agave, his mother, gathered the Bacchae around the tree and had them tear it out of the ground, sending Pentheus crashing to the floor. Agave pounced on him, continues the second messenger. Pentheus took off his wig and headdress and cried out, “Mother! Mother! It’s Me, Pentheus, your own son!”

Pentheus pleaded with Agave for his life, but her “eyes were rolling, and her mouth filling with foam.” She wrenched his arm right off of his body, “in the grip of the god and the god’s frenzy.” Then the other Bacchae, including Pentheus’ aunts, Ino and Autonoe, helped tear him apart. Soon, his remains were scattered everywhere.

Agave picked up Pentheus’ head and mounted it on the top of her thyrsus. The second messenger says he heard her calling out to Dionysus, her “fellow huntsman” and “companion in the chase, in the taking of the prize.” The herdsman says that her only prize is grief, and that he can’t bear to be around and see Agave realize her mistake. He parts with words of advice: “that moderation and reverence for the gods are a mortal’s best possession.”

The chorus celebrates what’s happened to Pentheus. Agave enters, carrying her thyrsus with the head of Pentheus impaled upon it. Agave addresses the chorus, telling that the “the hunting was good” and that she has caught “a mountain lion.” She says “soon the men of Thebes will praise the mother who caught this whelp and brought him home.” The chorus asks if she is happy, and she replies she “feels the thrill of having done something great.”

Agave shows off the head before asking the whereabouts of Cadmus and Pentheus. Cadmus arrives with a servant carrying a “draped stretcher.” Cadmus has been searching for the different parts of Pentheus’ body and gathering them up, “a gory jigsaw.” He had heard what Agave had done and headed back up the mountain, where he saw Ino and Autonoe, both still “stricken with madness.”

Agave tells Cadmus that he should be proud of her and her sisters, given their skill at “hunting animals” with their bare hands. She gives him Pentheus’ head, calling it a “trophy for our house” and asking him to “share the glory of my kill.”

Cadmus tells Agave that her and her sisters aren’t hunters, but murderers. He says he pities her for the “grief to come,” and that they must have seriously wronged Dionysus to deserve what’s happened: “he has been so just, so terribly just, he has destroyed us all.” Agave just thinks Cadmus is being miserable in his old age.

Agave calls out for Pentheus, so he can witness “his mother’s good fortune.” Cadmus says that if she ever realizes what she’s done, then she will be driven mad. She asks, “where is the shame? Where is the cause for grief?” He tells her to look up towards the sky.

As Agave stares at the sky, she feels her “head is clearing.” She tells Cadmus she can’t remember what they were talking about. He asks her a series of questions about who she is in order to establish her sanity, which she answers correctly. He asks her to look at the head in her hands and say what it is. She reluctantly takes a look and realizes she is holding the head of her son, Pentheus.

Agave asks who killed Pentheus. Cadmus explains what happened—that Agave and her sisters are responsible. She doesn’t remember anything, not even being part of the Dionysian rituals. Cadmus tells her: “You enraged him. You denied him as a god.” She asks where the rest of Pentheus’ body is; he points to the body parts on the stretcher.

Cadmus explains to Agave that Pentheus was made to suffer because “he refused the god.” He laments that their dynasty has been destroyed, and that he has no male heirs. He addresses Pentheus’ corpse, praising his grandson for keeping order over Thebes and taking care of him in his old age. He says that if “anyone disputes the power of heaven,” they need only to look at Pentheus’ death and realize that “the gods live.”

Dionysus appears, “revealed as a god.” He tells Cadmus that he and his wife, Harmonia, will be turned into snakes, “drawn by oxen in a cart,” and “lead a barbarian horde and sack many cities.” When they attack the wrong shrine, they will be in danger—but the gods will bring them to the “Land of the Blessed.” Dionysus reiterates his godliness.

Cadmus pleads with Dionysus, asking “should not gods stand above all mortal passions, such as anger?” Dionysus says that Zeus told him all of this would happen—the events were inevitable, and there’s no point him staying around any longer. He leaves.

Agave embraces Cadmus, distraught that she must be exiled with him. Cadmus says he can’t help her. Agave bids farewell to her “home,” “city and “marriage bed.” She tells Cadmus she grieves for him, and he says he does the same for her and her sisters.

Agave says “terrible is the ruin Lord Dionysus has visited on this house”; Cadmus says it’s their fault for dishonoring the god. They bid farewell to each other and leave in different directions. The chorus closes the play: “what we look for does not come to pass; what we least expect is fashioned by the gods. And that is what has happened here today.”