Death of Pentheus in Bacchae
Discuss the significance of the death of Pentheus in The Bacchae. Contrast his death, its causes and consequences, with that of any other “hero” in an ancient story we studied. How is his death as “tragic” as the fates of the other hero we studied?
The death of Pentheus in The Bacchae is significant as it portrays Aristotle's definition of Greek tragedy. Dionysus came to Thebes to show them that he is god and to show his powers. He also wants to pay back to those people who spread rumors about his mother. Pentheus doubted Dionysus and argued with him. He also had him chained, which made Dionysus more angry. It did not bother Dionysus to kill Pentheus even though he was his cousin because does not care much about his relatives. He thought that he would show his real powers and prove that he is mortal by killing Pentheus. Also, people who doubted Dionysus' mortality will change their opinion after seeing Pentheus being killed. Pentheus death is caused not just because he is Dionysus' scapegoat, but he is also responsible for his own fate. His own tragic flaws also caused his death. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man with high status, noble, virtuous, but is not perfect. Dionysus traps Pentheus by offering him to see the maenads for himself, undetected. Pentheus' greed of wanting to see what is forbidden made him accept the offer and he falls into the trap. Another tragic flaw of his is his excessive pride and overconfidence. He is too proud to follow the cult and overly confident that he can defeat the powers of the gods so he rejects the Bacchic rites. Pentheus has the misfortune to “presume to wage war with a god”(line 673). Also, he was not aware of the consequences of his actions. Dionysus disguses as a human so Pentheus doesn't know who he is and insults the god and mocks him with blasphemy. Another tragic flaw of his is when he ignores the warning of his grandfather Cadmus and Teiresias. Pentheus tries to overcome the gods' and fate's will and
The death of Pentheus in The Bacchae is significant as it portrays Aristotle's definition of Greek tragedy. Dionysus came to Thebes to show them that he is god and to show his powers. He also wants to pay back to those people who spread rumors about his mother. Pentheus doubted Dionysus and argued with him. He also had him chained, which made Dionysus more angry. It did not bother Dionysus to kill Pentheus even though he was his cousin because does not care much about his relatives. He thought that he would show his real powers and prove that he is mortal by killing Pentheus. Also, people who doubted Dionysus' mortality will change their opinion after seeing Pentheus being killed. Pentheus death is caused not just because he is Dionysus' scapegoat, but he is also responsible for his own fate. His own tragic flaws also caused his death. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man with high status, noble, virtuous, but is not perfect. Dionysus traps Pentheus by offering him to see the maenads for himself, undetected. Pentheus' greed of wanting to see what is forbidden made him accept the offer and he falls into the trap. Another tragic flaw of his is his excessive pride and overconfidence. He is too proud to follow the cult and overly confident that he can defeat the powers of the gods so he rejects the Bacchic rites. Pentheus has the misfortune to “presume to wage war with a god”(line 673). Also, he was not aware of the consequences of his actions. Dionysus disguses as a human so Pentheus doesn't know who he is and insults the god and mocks him with blasphemy. Another tragic flaw of his is when he ignores the warning of his grandfather Cadmus and Teiresias. Pentheus tries to overcome the gods' and fate's will and