The Tragic Death of Pentheus
After our recent exploration of Bacchae by Euripides, I have been thinking a lot about the character of Pentheus. The somewhat sour cousin of the god Dionysus starts out as a character whose hate for his relative is immediately visible. Throughout the text, readers watch as the tension between Pentheus and Dionysus grows until Pentheus’ pride and anger result in him falling into one of Dionysus’ schemes, ultimately costing him his life. In my opinion, the story of Pentheus is a story of how someone who so strongly wanted to expose his enemy was defeated, due to falling in the trap of his enemy’s persuasion.
Pentheus’ first scene in the text opens with him rebuking the very people who are praising Dionysus. “These women of ours,” he muses “have left their homes/ and run away to the dark mountains, pretending/ to be Bacchants...they’re dancing for him! (Dionysus) (217-220). Not only does he disapprove of the women’s praise, but he threatens to “catch them all in iron cages” to put an end to their celebration. (231). Pentheus also admonishes Cadmus, his own grandfather, and Cadmus’ friend Tiresias for celebrating the arrival of Dionysus. “And my very own grandfather—what a laugh!...” He exclaims at one point. “Shame on you, old man./ You both should have some sense at your age.” (250-252). Obviously, Pentheus is outraged with Dionysus and anyone who dares to praise him.
After his somewhat lengthy rant about how annoying he thinks the whole ruckus over his cousin is, Pentheus has an actual run-in with Dionysus, although he is clueless that it’s actually him. Under the impression that Dionysus is a foreigner, Pentheus begins to aggressively question Dionysus about who the god truly is and the happenings up on Mt. Kithairôn. Eventually, their argument leads to Dionysus setting fire to Pentheus’ house and escaping Pentheus’ prison. Obviously, Pentheus is outraged with Dionysus’ schemes, however, it is after this exchange that we begin to see the dissolution of Pentheus’ fiery and frustrated character. The conversation returns to the happenings on Mt. Kithairôn and Pentheus once again rants about how he wishes to end the women’s dancing and celebration. “Would you like to see the women gathered on the mountain?” Dionysus returns in response to Pentheus’ declaration. “Of course.” Pentheus decides. “I’d give a pot of money for that.” (810-811). From here, we see a sort of blindness take over Pentheus. He becomes so enraged with the events on the mountain and so obsessed with wanting to see it all for himself that he begins to fall into another one of Dionysus’ schemes. Dionysus agrees to take Pentheus to Kithairôn, but only if he will dress like a woman. At first, Pentheus refuses, but Dionysus devises a plan. “His death will give justice, and he’s coming to the Bacchae/ First, drive him out of his wits.” he plots “He’ll never want to take on a woman’s dress in his right mind (848-852).
Readers can easily see the change in Pentheus when he begins to agree to Dionysus’ ideas. At one point, we even see Pentheus tell Dionysus plainly; “I’m in your hands” (934). Pentheus allows Dionysus to dress him up as a woman and send him to the mountain. It is here that Pentheus’ death takes place. Through the songs of the chorus, and an emotional exchange between Cadmus and Pentheus’ mother, Agavê, readers discover that somehow, Pentheus is mistaken for a wild lion by Agavê and is brutally murdered.
Pentheus’ death is tragic. In fact, his entire presence in the text is pretty tragic. He is filled with an unquenchable hate for Dionysus, and therefore will stop at nothing to put an end to him and the people who want to praise him. I believe it was his pride and anger that blinded him to Dionysus’ scheme. Pentheus was so obsessed with going to the mountain to see the Bacchic women for himself, and so driven to get even with Dionysus that he was unaware when Dionysus drove him “out of his wits” (850). In the end, it was Pentheus’ anger and foolish choices that resulted in his tragic death.
Pentheus’ first scene in the text opens with him rebuking the very people who are praising Dionysus. “These women of ours,” he muses “have left their homes/ and run away to the dark mountains, pretending/ to be Bacchants...they’re dancing for him! (Dionysus) (217-220). Not only does he disapprove of the women’s praise, but he threatens to “catch them all in iron cages” to put an end to their celebration. (231). Pentheus also admonishes Cadmus, his own grandfather, and Cadmus’ friend Tiresias for celebrating the arrival of Dionysus. “And my very own grandfather—what a laugh!...” He exclaims at one point. “Shame on you, old man./ You both should have some sense at your age.” (250-252). Obviously, Pentheus is outraged with Dionysus and anyone who dares to praise him.
After his somewhat lengthy rant about how annoying he thinks the whole ruckus over his cousin is, Pentheus has an actual run-in with Dionysus, although he is clueless that it’s actually him. Under the impression that Dionysus is a foreigner, Pentheus begins to aggressively question Dionysus about who the god truly is and the happenings up on Mt. Kithairôn. Eventually, their argument leads to Dionysus setting fire to Pentheus’ house and escaping Pentheus’ prison. Obviously, Pentheus is outraged with Dionysus’ schemes, however, it is after this exchange that we begin to see the dissolution of Pentheus’ fiery and frustrated character. The conversation returns to the happenings on Mt. Kithairôn and Pentheus once again rants about how he wishes to end the women’s dancing and celebration. “Would you like to see the women gathered on the mountain?” Dionysus returns in response to Pentheus’ declaration. “Of course.” Pentheus decides. “I’d give a pot of money for that.” (810-811). From here, we see a sort of blindness take over Pentheus. He becomes so enraged with the events on the mountain and so obsessed with wanting to see it all for himself that he begins to fall into another one of Dionysus’ schemes. Dionysus agrees to take Pentheus to Kithairôn, but only if he will dress like a woman. At first, Pentheus refuses, but Dionysus devises a plan. “His death will give justice, and he’s coming to the Bacchae/ First, drive him out of his wits.” he plots “He’ll never want to take on a woman’s dress in his right mind (848-852).
Readers can easily see the change in Pentheus when he begins to agree to Dionysus’ ideas. At one point, we even see Pentheus tell Dionysus plainly; “I’m in your hands” (934). Pentheus allows Dionysus to dress him up as a woman and send him to the mountain. It is here that Pentheus’ death takes place. Through the songs of the chorus, and an emotional exchange between Cadmus and Pentheus’ mother, Agavê, readers discover that somehow, Pentheus is mistaken for a wild lion by Agavê and is brutally murdered.
Pentheus’ death is tragic. In fact, his entire presence in the text is pretty tragic. He is filled with an unquenchable hate for Dionysus, and therefore will stop at nothing to put an end to him and the people who want to praise him. I believe it was his pride and anger that blinded him to Dionysus’ scheme. Pentheus was so obsessed with going to the mountain to see the Bacchic women for himself, and so driven to get even with Dionysus that he was unaware when Dionysus drove him “out of his wits” (850). In the end, it was Pentheus’ anger and foolish choices that resulted in his tragic death.
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