Crash-Out Central
This ecstatic man who talks to the chorus and is a real lady-killer (if you know what I mean) shows the duality of human nature and breaks the 4th wall as the Olympian of Masks, Leopards, Grapes, and Wine. The play is literally named after him
Who is Dionysus
At the very beginning of The Bacchae, Dionysus speaks directly to the audience, introducing himself and his mission, showing that Greek theater sometimes blurred the line between stage and spectators
What is breaking the fourth wall
"If I catch him in this city ... I'll chop off his head, slice it right from his body."
Who is Pentheus
The king of Thebes who refused to worship Dionysus
Who is Pentheus
These handheld objects, often tipped with ivy or pinecones, were carried by the Bacchants to show their divine connection and ritual ecstasy
What are thyrsi
This animal is what Agave thinks she's killing when she's really committing brutal accidental filicide (be specific)
What is a mountain lion
Unlike most plays, the Bacchae uses the chorus to represent this group of people
Who are the Bacchants/Maenads
Anything along the lines of a group of female worshippers of Dionysus. To be more specific, they're basically those who have followed him in his human form as "the Stranger." They are voluntary followers, serving as faithful devotees who sing and dance to praise their god, as opposed to the frenzied local Theban women forced into madness (coughcoughAgavecough)
"A man can seem totally ignorant when speaking to a fool."
Who is Dionysus
This grandfather of Pentheus gave up kingship and is now a normal old man, joining the revelry. Dionysus eventually turns him into a snake along with his wife
Who is Cadmus
Pentheus’ fatal spying attempt was made possible because he wore this, signaling his disguise
What is a woman's dress/cross-dressing
This absolutely insane group of followers wears animal skins and takes partying to a new level (they murder people)
Who are the Maenads
Throughout the play, the chorus frequently warns Pentheus about the dangers of resisting Dionysus, performing this role common to choruses in Greek drama
What is the advisor/cautionary voice
"Angry gods should not act just like humans."
Who is Cadmus
This weapon, a type of staff, a symbol of power associated with Dionysus, was used by the Queen Agave to present her son's head to his grandfather. This weapon was further popularized across ancient Greece and became a more prominent symbol associated with kingship following the production of this play
What is a thyrsus
To make Dionysus appearances seem divine, ancient theaters used these elevated structures, trap doors, or concealed areas at the back of the stage, allowing actors to appear suddenly or vanish, creating the illusion of supernatural power
What is the skene
This blind prophet tries to prevent multiple crash out's throughout the play. A shame nobody listens to old wise blind dudes huh...
Who is Tiresias
The chorus often comments on events while moving left to right and right to left, using this repeated pattern
What is strophe and antistrophe
"What have I done!"
Who is Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith after accidentally killing Mace Windu
Lots of accidental murders being talked about today huh
This character in a separate play written by Euripides in the same trilogy as the Bacchae was sacrificed by her father in the leadership decision of the ages before the Trojan War. It reflects a prominent trend of ancient Greek leadership with conflicts between children/parents
Who is Iphigenia
The central raised area in the orchestra was often used for sacrifices or symbolic ritual acts
What is the thymele, or altar if we wanna be boring
She is a mortal Theban princess and daughter of King Cadmus and Harmonia. This woman is tricked by Hera into convincing Zeus to show her his divine form. Zeus tries to convince otherwise but has already sworn an oath. In an attempt to mitigate her crash-out, Zeus complies and she then gets disintegrated. She is the mother of Dionysus
Who is Semele
The chorus of Oedipus Rex, an Ancient Greek play by Sophocles that also premiered at the City Dionysia and was a major rival to the Bacchae, where the titular character tears his eyes out, is made up of a group of elders from this Ancient Greek city
Where is Thebes
"The best thing is to keep one's mind controlled, and worship all that comes down from the gods."
Who is the Second messenger
The historian Plutarch claims that this Toman Statesman’s head was used as a prop in the performance of the Bacchae after his crushing defeat in the battle of Carrhae, ending his military ambitions as a member of the First Triumvirate and ending the life of the alleged Richest Man in Rome
Who is Marcus Licinius Crassus
The frenzied dances of the Bacchants were enhanced with these instrunments, which added rhythm, sound, and honestly aura to the stage
What are drums and flutes