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Overview
Synopsis
In the kingdom of Thebes, the young ruler Pentheus is furious at the sudden arrival of a Stranger and the frenzied female followers of Dionysus, the Bacchae. Pentheus and his family (grandfather Cadmus, mother Agave, and aunts Ino and Autonoe) have disavowed Dionysus as Zeus’ son, and therefore as a god. Ironically, Dionysus is a member of this family: His mother, Semele, is another daughter of Cadmus. Slowly, methodically, Dionysus takes his revenge on the family. First, he seduces Agave, Ino, and Autonoe into the ranks of the Bacchae, where they flee to Mount Cithaeron. Next, Dionysus confronts Pentheus as the Stranger and presents him with impossible miracles (such as an earthquake destroying the palace), before luring the young man to Mount Cithaeron so that he may spy on the Bacchae. But Pentheus walks into his own destruction: In a scene of heartbreaking violence, Agave turns against her own son, sealing the fate of the house of Cadmus.
Euripides’ final play, performed posthumously at the City Dionysia, is a violent warning against defying the gods. The Bacchae dramatizes the battle between opposing forces in the human psyche, the rational and the frenzied, and the horrific consequences of honor and recognition coming too late.
Show Information
- Book
- Euripides
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- Genres
- Drama, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Thebes, Ancient Greece, palace
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Late Teen, Early Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress