FREE ESSAY ON THE BACCHAE

THE BACCHAE

The Ultimate Morality Test
The Bacchae represents an authentic interpretation that is full of temptation in the
natural world. I am going to compare the temptations of society that we as individuals
encounter everyday with the allure of nature in the Bacchae, specifically focusing on
temptation offered by Dionysos. Humans in a civilized society have to make choices
everyday resulting in their decisions whether they have positive or negative contrasting
effects in compilation to societies norms.
From the beginning of the Bacchae, Pentheus seems to be the only rational person in the
play. He does not give into his temptations to join the others to frolic in the forest.
He is however very intrigued by Dionysos's offering to join in on the fun and festivities
of nature. Pentheus had an original instinct when confronted with the particular
opportunity that Dionysos set before him. He was to deny the temptations and go with his
original instincts resulting in using his rational thoughts. This meant that Pentheus had
to put his transgressions aside and look for the good in this situation. He could not
omit his original curiosity that he entailed from the stories of Dionysos and the first
hand accounts from citizens of Thebes that partook in the orgiastic feast in the hills. 
Dionysos had a master plan to overtake Pentheus's senses from the very beginning. I
compare Dionysos to the serpent, or Devil that eventually bribed Eve to do something she
was strictly told not to do in the garden Eden. It took some force on the serpents' part
but he eventually succeeded in this coercion tactic. Instincts that are imparted in our
values are not easily overcome. The temptation is always there however to break the mold
and lust after something that seemed inconceivable when first confronted with the
situation. Symbolic interaction comes into play here. A symbolic meaning of morality is
created by Pentheus and in turn his own language is produced. Pentheus feels he should do
the right thing and deny Dionysos's temptation. The individual interprets a valid
response to this symbolic meaning of denial. Can Pentheus put his feelings out of sight
and out of mind? He cannot in the end of the play and it costs him his life.
Pentheus relied on cultural relativism when he judged Dionysos for manipulating the
citizens of Thebes. He judged Dionysos's motivation for this act in the context of his
own culture. Pentheus had original values that shaped and created a framework for his
original norms of society. In a sense Pentheus created his own interpretation of a
counterculture when he rejected the dominant values of society on the basis of his own
set of norms and values. He began to feel that taking part and frolicking in the orgies
in the woods was wrong. Pentheus used his own interpretation of dramatology to justify
his actions for rejecting Dionysos's offers. He created his own artificial play, much
like a theatrical play. Pentheus's interpretation of the front stage was his outward
feeling of denial towards Dionysos's offerings of bliss in nature. His backstage was his
internal emotion of curiosity for what he could not see. He could not let Dionysos know
of these intense feelings at the beginning. Pentheus also used props and other actions to
portray his feelings of rejecting Dionsos's advances and opportunities. By putting
Dionysos in prison he revealed that he did not want to back down, and was serious about
keeping social order in Thebes. But Pentheus in reality feels drawn into the evil plan
that Dionysos has conceived. Dionysos quotes "You've fallen in love with my idea. You
can't wait. Why" (87)? Pentheus replies, "I'll see them drunk, hopelessly drunk. It
revolts me, but...I..."(87)? This passage explains the theory that know matter how hard
Pentheus wants to reject the idea of giving into his human nature, he must. Pentheus is
then transformed seemingly by Dionysos as he is lured to take part in the festivities of
the wild women in the hills. Pentheus then used props to give himself artificial delight
by hiding behind women's clothing when his curiosity got the best of him.
In conclusion, we all long for what we can not have in life. It's a part of human nature
to thrive by our own personal morals and values, but also live by society norms. Pentheus
was tempted because of human nature, but he couldn't reveal his feelings because of his
pride. In the end his curiosity got the best of him. As we read in the play, Pentheus
climbed up a tree to finally see what he had been rejecting to see all along. Thus the
God of wine eventually got the best of him after Pentheus revealed his vulnerability of
his own human nature. 
Bibliography
Stages of Drama: Carl H Klaus