Looking at Bacchae

"Bacchae is one of the most troubling yet intriguing of Greek tragedies. Written during Euripides' self-imposed exile in Macedonia, it tells of the brutal murder and dismemberment of Pentheus by his mother and aunts who, driven temporarily insane, have joined the Bacchae (devotees of the god Dionysus, or Bacchus). The startling plot, driven by Dionysus' desire to punish his family for refusing to accept his divinity, and culminating in the excruciating pathos of a mother's realization that she has killed her son, has held audiences transfixed since its original performance (when it won first prize). It is one of the most performed and studied plays in the Greek tragic corpus, with a strong history of reception down to the present day. This collection of essays by eminent academics gathered from across the globe explores the themes, staging and reception of the play, with essays on the characters Dionysus and Pentheus, the role of the chorus of Bacchae, key themes such as revenge, women and religion, and the historical and literary contexts of the play. The essays are accompanied by David Stuttard's English translation which is performer-friendly, accessible and closely accurate to the original."--Bloomsbury Publishing Bacchae is one of the most troubling yet intriguing of Greek tragedies. Written during Euripides' self-imposed exile in Macedonia, it tells of the brutal murder and dismemberment of Pentheus by his mother and aunts who, driven temporarily insane, have joined the Bacchae (devotees of the god Dionysus, or Bacchus). The startling plot, driven by Dionysus' desire to punish his family for refusing to accept his divinity, and culminating in the excruciating pathos of a mother's realization that she has killed her son, has held audiences transfixed since its original performance (when it won first prize). It is one of the most performed and studied plays in the Greek tragic corpus, with a strong history of reception down to the present day. This collection of essays by eminent academics gathered from across the globe explores the themes, staging and reception of the play, with essays on the characters Dionysus and Pentheus, the role of the chorus of Bacchae, key themes such as revenge, women and religion, and the historical and literary contexts of the play. The essays are accompanied by David Stuttard's English translation which is performer-friendly, accessible and closely accurate to the original Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Dedication page Contents List of Contributors Preface Acknowledgements Introduction – Bacchae in Context Dionysus and his associated myths Euripides and the social and political background to Bacchae Greek tragic conventions 1 Perspectives on the Impact of Bacchae at its Original Performance Notes 2 Bacchae and Earlier Tragedy Notes 3 Family Reunion or Household Disaster? Exploring Plot Diversity in Euripides’ Last Production Notes 4 Staging in Bacchae Dionysus sets the scene The tomb and the palace Dressing up for Dionysus Denouement Final thought Notes 5 Looking at the Bacchae in Bacchae Notes 6 Mysteries and Politics in Bacchae Notes 7 ‘A Big Laugh’: Horrid Laughter in Euripides’ Bacchae Note 8 New Religion and Old in Euripides’Bacchae Notes 9 Paradoxes and Th emes in Bacchae Note 10 Euripides’ Bacchae – A Revenge Play Note 11 The Grandsons of Cadmus 12 Bacchae in the Modern World Notes Euripides’ Bacchae Translated by David Stuttard Dramatis Personae Bibliography Index Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Perspectives On The Impact Of Bacchae At Its Original Performance / Edith Hall -- 2. Bacchae And Earlier Tragedy / Alan H. Sommerstein -- 3. Family Reunion Or Household Disaster? Exploring Plot Diversity In Euripides' Last Production / Ioanna Karamanou -- 4. Staging In Bacchae / Rosie Wyles -- 5. Looking At The Bacchae In Bacchae / Chris Carey -- 6. Mysteries And Politics In Bacchae / Richard Seaford -- 7. Big Laugh': Horrid Laughter In Euripides' Bacchae / James Morwood -- 8. New Religion And Old In Euripides' Bacchae / David Kovacs -- 9. Paradoxes And Themes In Bacchae / Alex Garvie -- 10. Euripides' Bacchae -- A Revenge Play / Hanna M. Roisman -- 11. Grandsons Of Cadmus / Sophie Mills -- 12. Bacchae In The Modern World / Betine Van Zyl Smit. Edited By David Stuttard. Includes Bibliographic References (pages 221-227) And Index.