I killed Mufasa...

I can always look back and remember times when I’ve heard “So I have this friend…”  We all know that this “friend” is really an easy way of not admitting something embarrassing of oneself.  It’s how we can talk about the undiscussed.  We can try to understand the topics that are not quite open for much understanding.  It is one way that we deal with the irrational.  And I may or may not have used this one unsuccessfully in my own life.

There are many irrational elements in the play Bakkhai.  But Euripides knew that the opportune moment for discussing these irrational passions was in the rational, comfortable and respected stage of the theatre.  He knew that he would have a large audience and could bring up these issues to the minds of many.   He knew that his audience respected the gods and would side with the chorus but at the same time he plays on their emotions.  Through the use of pathos the audience begins to pity Agaue.  Without realizing, she had killed her only son.  This stirs up a mixture of emotions.  Should the audience be happy because Dionysus showed his power as a god or should they be upset because a family had to pay the price through murder?  Euripides uses opposites to display that what is considered to be rational may not be all that rational in the end.

Speaking of irrational, the god Dionysus may not be the most rational of the greek gods. What kind of a god would trick women into becoming senseless killers?  In our culture we consider women to be daughters of the Most High God and to be respected.  Euripides turns things around completely by having an irrational, unforgiving, and ill-tempered god put women into a haze and use them as tools without agency to show his power.  Also family members killing other family members doesn't seem too godlike, yet it always reminds me of The Lion King.