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Dionyysus And Semele Revenge Analysis

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The theme of Bacchae seems to be one of revenge. Dionysus, the god of intoxication, has revenge on his mind towards the family of Cadmus, his mother’s father, who refuses to worship him and claim him as Zeus’s son. Dionysus was born of Zeus and a mortal woman by the name of Semele. Zeus’s wife, Hera, found out about the affair and knowing Zeus would answer one of Semele’s requests, had her ask to see him in his full glory. The pregnant Semele was instantly disintegrated along with her child Dionysus, however, Zeus was able to stitch the baby back up and put him in his thigh until Dionysus was old enough to be born. Semele’s sisters, the daughters of Cadmus, did not believe their sister bore Zeus’s child and thought Zeus killed her for spreading false words. Dionysus expresses disdain for Cadmus’s daughters during a monolog, “They said Semele was seduced by some man or other and put the blame on Zeus for her mistake in bed, and Zeus killed her because she pretended to be his wife… That is why I have stung these women into madness” (pg.2 30-35). Dionysus devised a plan of revenge on the Cadmus family. His …show more content…

When on the mountain, Pentheus, upon a tree, hears Dionysus, in his godly form, tell the women to get Pentheus. Agave, along with her sisters, ripped down the tree Pentheus was on, thinking he was a lion. The women tore down the tree and, not being about to recognize who Pentheus was, proceeded to tear him apart. In the end, Dionysus got revenge on the whole Cadmus family and had them banished from Thebes. In some way, Dionysus avenged Semele, along with gaining his title as a god. The theme of revenge was found throughout the whole play as Dionysus carried out his despicable plan. He got revenge on the people of Thebes, Semele’s sisters and father, and on the unbeliever, Pentheus. That is why the theme of Bacchae is

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