Bakkhai Essay Prompt
In a two to three page essay, answer one of the following prompts thoroughly. Your essay should be well organized and written in sophisticated language. It should work towards demonstrating one specific thesis. Your thesis should be reasonably complex (“Pentheus is wrong for not worshipping Dionysos” won’t cut it). Quote and analyze evidence from the text to prove your point. Write in the present tense. Your essay should be typed and double-spaced, in 12-point font. Give your paper an original title (not “Bakkhai Essay”).
- Who is the tragic hero of The Bakkhai? Recall the qualities that make up a tragic hero in Greek drama, specifically. What character traits and actions make this character the hero?
- Many scholars claim that the classical (Greek and Roman) world values reason more highly than emotion. Do we find evidence of the interplay of these values in The Bakkhai? What point does the play make about the interaction between reason, or the rational values of society, and emotion?
- In ancient Greece, women were seen as far inferior to men in intellect, physical attributes, and even spirit. Do the Theban maenads reinforce this viewpoint, or not? More specifically, what does Euripedes’ portrayal of the maenads indicate about women, as opposed to men? Consider why Dionysos may have chosen women to worship him, what worship of Dionysos indicates about a person, and why their rituals are secret.
- Are the actions of Dionysos just?
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