University of Arkansas Fall, 2001; CLST 1003 Introduction to Classical Studies, Greece
Daniel B. Levine
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: EURIPIDES' BACCHAE
(Woodruff Translation)
Dave Fredrick's preview with pictures of the Bacchae...
1. What are four conflicts which the BACCHAE addresses, according to Woodruff? (ix)
2. What are four names by which Dionysos is called? (x)
3. What are four grounds on which Pentheus opposes Dionysos? (x)
4. What are three reasons that allow Pentheus to go to the mountain to see the maenads? What are Maenads? (x-xi)
5. Why does Woodruff think that the story of the BACCHAE 'strikes a chord in many readers today'? (xi)
6. What parallel to Christianity does the BACCHAE suggest? What is a problem with such a comparison? (xi-xii)
7. Why does Woodruff mention Mick Jagger? (xii)
8. What are three reasons that the "religious background of the play is elusive"? (xii)
10. What does Woodruff say is the 'principal role of a god in myth and tragedy'? And what is Dionysos' work mainly in this play? (xiii)
11. What defines a 'mystery religion', and what about mystery religions makes them essentially 'egalitarian'? (xiv)
12. What are Dionysus' three main powers? (xv)
13. What is the paradox of "Madness and Control"? (xv-xvi)
14. How does the "New Learning" manifest itself in BACCHAE? (xvi-xvii)
15. Where was this play set? Why might the Athenians have had 'special pleasure' to have the BACCHAE set here? (xxiii)
16. What does Woodruff see as "one of the most attractive and unusual features of Greek culture"? (xxvi)
17. Tiresias is a seer; Woodruff tells us that divination had fallen into disrespect at the time of the BACCHAE. What does he say contributed to this? (xxvii)
18. How does the portrait of Cadmus change in the course of BACCHAE? (xxviii)
20. How old is Pentheus in this play? What does his name mean? What does Dionysus convince him to do that he normally would avoid? (xxviii-xxix)
21. What does the translator think is the most helpful question we can ask about BACCHAE? What does this have to do with the New Learning? (xxxix)
22. What four things associated with the New Learning do characters see as bad in BACCHAE? (xxxix-xl)
23. What two reasons does the translator give for Euripides' anger over the New Learning? (xl)
24. What seven oppositions/conflicts does Dionysos involve himself in? (xl-xli)
25. Why are some of the characters in the play unable to understand Dionysiac religion -- according to Woodruff? Where does such understanding come from? (xli-xlii)
26. From the Family Tree on xlv, explain the relationship among Pentheus, Dionysus, and Actaeon. (xlv)
PROLOGUE 1-62
27. What are the features of the landscape which Dionysus points out in the Prologue?
28. What activities does Dionysus mention as characterizing his worshippers in Thebes? What do they do, how do they dress, what do they carry?
30. Why does Dionysus say he has stung the Theban women into madness?
31. When Dionysus says that he will lead his Maenads into battle (54), what other myth does he recall? (see note on page 65)
PARODOS OF CHORUS (CHORAL ENTRY SONG) 64-164
32. What characterizes a blessed person, according to the Chorus?
33. Why does the chorus mention the "womb" in the first Antistrophe? What two "wombs" are important?
34. In the second Strophe, what do we learn about the characteristics of Dionysian worship?
35. The Epode refers to four liquids, and a gas. What are these, and what do they have to do with the worship of Dionysus?
SCENE 1 170-369
36. How does the Tiresias/Cadmus scene set up a dichotomy between age and youth?
37. How does Pentheus describe the Dionysiac "revolution" in the city, and what does it have to do with Aphrodite?
38. Why does Pentheus say "Shame on you" to his own grandfather?
40. What does Pentheus charge is the Tiresias' motivation in bringing the worship of a new god to Thebes?
41. What are the two first principles in human life, according to Tiresias?
42. What does Tiresias say on the subject of women and sex?
43. What happened to Actaeon, Pentheus' cousin? Why does Cadmus bring up his story?
SCENE 2 433-518
44. Why was the soldier ashamed when he arrested the Stranger? What miracle did he witness?
45. What does Pentheus say about the Stranger's complexion? What does he imply about his character from his complexion?
46. Why does Dionysus not tell Pentheus about his rituals?
47. What three penalties does Pentheus propose for the stranger?
SECOND CHORUS 519-575
48. What is the point of the Chorus addressing Dirke? What does she represent?
SCENE THREE 576-861
50. How did Dionysus get free from his imprisonment by Pentheus?
51. What does the First Messenger tell Pentheus about Dionysiac worship? What miraculous acts did he witness?
52. At line 789, Dionysus tells Pentheus that it is 'wrong to take up arms against a god.' How does he proceed to persuade him not to do so?
53. How does Dionysus persuade Pentheus to dress up in women's clothes?
SCENE FOUR 912-976
54. What does Pentheus see when he first appears wearing women's clothing? Why does he see these things?
55. What kind of relationship do Pentheus and Dionysus have in this scene? How has it changed from earlier in the play? Cite two specific differences in Pentheus.
56. What is the irony of Dionysus' lines at 963-966? (You might have to finish reading the play before answering this question.)
FOURTH CHORUS 977-1023
57. What is the Chorus' desire in this song? What is their message?
SCENE FIVE 1024-1167
58. What miraculous action does the Second Messenger tell of at lines 1163 ff? What is the result of this act?
60. What is the result of Pentheus' suppliancy of Agave?
61. What strange kind of thyrsus does Agave carry back to Thebes? What is her own perception of it before she sees her father?
EXODOS (Final Scene) 1168-1392
62. What boasts does Agave make to the Thebans? Why does she make them? What is ironic about her words?
63. What kind things about Pentheus does Cadmus say -- recalling the old days?
64. What is Dionysus' message to Cadmus and the Theban people?
65. How does Dionysus defend his harsh actions? (give two examples)
66. At the end of the play, where does Agave want to go, and why? How does this contrast with the Chorus' wish to go somewhere at 403-417?
67. What is striking about the last five lines of the play? (see note, page 77) What does this tell us about the preservation of original Greek plays?