Equus Play Analysis

The play “Bacchae” was written by Euripides and first published in 1896, it was later translated by Henry Hart Milman in 1997. The play “Equus” was written by Peter Shaffer in 1973. The Bacchae is about a god who is struggling to be recognized as a god. However, Equus is about a boy who is struggling to find god. Both plays show how religion can change people by modifying their beliefs. Euripides and Shaffer both draw their ideas from ancient traditions through the element of religion by rituals, beliefs and ethics.
Rituals are ceremonies dedicated to various gods and goddess, some ritual consists of animal sacrificing, human sacrificing, self-torturing and orgies. This ritual includes singing, dancing, and processions and plays preformed by the villagers. These plays were important because it was a way for the people to express their present belief. According to an article written by Ryan Claycomb it states, “The play itself shows influences from Japanese theatre traditions, work with masks, an attention to ritual, and nudity and explicit sexuality.” The most
Most of their ideas dealt with the element of religion, especially on the bases of ritual, beliefs and ethics. . The ancient Greeks believed in various gods, they host festivals for each of the gods, which they worship. In connection to the plays, Euripides mentions the god Dionysus, who is the god of wine and ecstasy. Euripides gathers his ideas from Dionysus battle for recognition as a god and the rituals associated when worshipping Dionysus. Similarly, Shaffer gathers his ideas from ancient Greek customs, of acting as part of their culture. One other main fact that Shaffer made use of the ideas bases of Christianity, its meaning and its morals at that time. It is safe to say the both Euripides and Shaffer got their ideas from ancient tradition in the form of