Dionysus Character Analysis Essay

Eventually, Pentheus becomes crazy with a need to know the details of the women’s actions. “The more terrible the things you tell me about those Bacchic women, the worse I'll move against the one who taught them all their devious tricks” (13). His anger, his delusion, and his violence is fueled by the continuing actions of the Bacchae. He’s only able to continue on his rampage if the Bacchae continue express their femininity and he’s told about their actions - it becomes an addiction. Finally, when Dionysus suggests he go see for himself what the women are doing, Pentheus involves himself with the femininity of the Bacchae. His wrath and his violent behavior, induced by the women, continue to grow through the play. Euripides desired to show

Dionysus’s character, both in regards to the audience and the other characters in the play, clearly appears emasculate. He’s walking this very thin line between man and woman that he’s perceived to do as a Greek God, and the onlooker recognizes that. Euripides portrayal of Dionysus’s emasculated presence and divine control as changing the women from the obedient housewife to the wild woman-creatures that are a danger to Pentheus’s society ultimately signals to the audience that feminine individuals ought to be feared. Pentheus declares that Dionysus “corrupts our women with a new disease, and thus infects our bed” (6). Throughout the play, Dionysus’s actions and power uniquely continue to plight Thebes; he’s not a hero, he’s not some amazing force of empowerment, and he’s not looking out for the best interest of the women he has possessed. He’s an angry God. Euripides says the audience ought to fear Dionysus’s wrath because he will possess all of the women and murder the king. However, the king was not a hero either. His murderous anger at Dionysus, the stranger who stole his women, only subsided when offered the chance to watch the women do “those things [he] should not look upon, so