Symbols, Themes and Motifs in The Bacchae

Symbol: Bull

One of Dionysus’ sacred animals, he appears as one to Pentheus. Dionysus is often depicted as one in Greek art. The bull represents the most aggressive, violent and feral side of the god.

Symbol: Thyrsus

A fennel rod adorned with ivy, a symbol of Dionysus. It is a transformational and phallic symbol. Striking it on the ground produces milk, wine and honey which represents natures abundance and usefulness to people.

Symbol: Fawn skin

Standard dress code for Dionysus devotees. Fawn skin suggests the humans, as mortals, are equal to animals such as dear.

Theme: Social order

Conforming to social norms is essential to the continuation of civilisations when norms are disregarded (as when Dionysus drives the women of Thebes to the forest) social fabric unravels. social order contrasts with wild nature of the Bacchae and Dionysus crumbing Pentheus’ palace is the symbolic crumbling of mortal authority

Theme: Religious Beliefs

Conflicting religious beliefs are the core of much strife, Dionysus achieves success in Asia but is met with rejection in Greece. The Bacchae is possibly an argument for the separation of the church and the state. Pentheus lets power separate him from the community as he doesn’t let them believe what they want to.

Theme: Duality and disguise

Several dualities in the play, Dionysus is a dual personality in his true form (his divinity) he is ferocious and powerful whilst as the stranger he is gentle and delicate. individuals have a dual nature, they are driven by primal impulses but are rational beings. people wear disguises to meet expectations.

Dionysus both feminine an masculine (the stranger and the bull) He and Pentheus reflects dualities of social order and religious ecstasy.

Divine and beastly, real and imaginary, reason and madness.

Theme: Violence

Albert Henrichs - “Greek tragedy reeks with blood and is strewn with corpses”

violence is the expression of passion unleashed and the primal side humanity appearing due to too much pressure building up or because reason had been rejected.

Humans attracted and repulsed by violence, civilisation is a possible defence against violence that Is natural in animals and disasters (natural disasters are meant to be caused by the gods)

Theme: women

Ancient audiences likely distressed to see women abandon their domestic roles, showing traditional views of women. Euripides gets the audience to ask if the women of Thebes have rebelled against their constraints or just pawns in Dionysus’ plan.

Motif: wilderness and hunting

Wilderness contrasts with organisation of society. Dionysus couldn’t be kept prisoner so destroys the palace, upsetting distinction between order and disorder.

Hunting is a male activity but is given to women, they first hunt cattle and then Pentheus. Dionysus (as the stranger) is hunted by Pentheus.

Motif: Hair

Worshippers wore long hair. Dionysus also depicted with it which fascinates pentheus when he sees the stranger. Pentheus finds it repulsive and attractive and threatens to cut his hair which the stranger says is sacred.