Motifs in the Bacchae
- Created by: gsoning
- Created on: 19-05-19 11:56
View mindmap
- Motifs
- Hunting
- Agave refers to her kill (pentheus) as a 'hunt'
- The first messenger speech refers to hunting Bacchants on Cithaeron
- [messenger]'Do you think we should hunt Agave, Pentheus' mother, out of the Bacchic dances, to please our lord?'
- Pentheus is killed in hunting style by Agave
- Vision
- Pentheus has double vision when walking up to Cithaeron (fourth episode)
- Pentheus: 'I see two suns, and a double city of Thebes, two cities with seven gates!'
- Agave's vision clears after Cadmus brings her back to reality, he is a voice of reason hence his lesser punishment
- Cadmus: 'Now look properly; it is only a moment's effort'
- Pentheus has double vision when walking up to Cithaeron (fourth episode)
- Bull
- Dionysus created an illusion of a bull to humiliate Pentheus.
- Dionysus-'That is exactly how I humiliated him [...] he found a bull in the stables [...] and he tied knots around its knees, panting with rage'
- Pentheus:' you look like a bull leading me'
- Dionysus created an illusion of a bull to humiliate Pentheus.
- Lessons learned and morals presented
- Tiresias, Cadmus and choral epilogue all solidly the message of worship and to expect the unexpected of the Gods.
- Tiresias: 'I cannot begin to tell you how great he will be in Greece'
- Cadmus: 'Even if this person is no god, as you say, declare him one! Tell a lie in a good cause.'
- Cadmus: 'If anyone despises divinity, let him look on this man's death, and believe in the gods!'
- Tiresias, Cadmus and choral epilogue all solidly the message of worship and to expect the unexpected of the Gods.
- Acteon
- Tiresias: 'You know the fate of Acteon' (hubris)
- Tiresias: 'Where once the hounds tore Acteon apart'
- Tiresias: 'You know the fate of Acteon' (hubris)
- Sophistry and Wisdom
- Tiresias:'No logic will overthrow the traditions we have received from our fathers'
- Tiresias objecting sophistry (1st episode)
- 'A fine orator whose ability is based on confidence is a bad citizen, since he lacks goof judgement.'
- Snakes
- Cadmus and Agave are turned into snakes by Dionysus in the Exodos
- Dionysus re Cadmus and Harmony: 'You will be turned into a serpent and your wife will take on the savage form of a snake'
- Bacchants connection with snakes
- 'The snake's tongues cleaned the drops from their cheeks'
- Cadmus and Agave are turned into snakes by Dionysus in the Exodos
- Lion
- Pentheus is the 'child of a Lioness'
- Hunting
Comments
No comments have yet been made