The Bacchae is a shining example of Greek tragedy, and would be an excellent choice to produce at the National Theatre here in Columbus. Although it was written in ancient Greek times, its messages still ring true in today’s world. The ideas that resonate most today, from The Bacchae, in my opinion are of the duality of chaos and order in society, and of the outwardly hidden nature of people. These two ideas represent changing conventional values and speak most to the focus of issues in today’s society. The conflict of the two main characters Dionysus and Penteus represent the struggle between order and chaos; between the rational and the irrational. This production should make the audience think about how the two must coexist in society and
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Gender identity, and disguising ones true self from others is a topic that has become more relavent today, yet it also played a part in this play. Dionysus is described as an “effeminate man” (Woodruff 24) and having “…long hair… and a pretty face”, yet as Pentheus points out is “good-looking to women” (Bacchae 453-459). Later when Dionysus dresses Pentheus as a women in order to disguise him, the maenads still see him as a man. These two characters invoke notions of cross-dressing and transgender identity conflicts as both look female but are shown in the play and through the dialogue to be male. This subject has become more prevalent today, and this play would convey that this seemingly modern struggle with sexual identity had its roots in ancient times. In the production, as in society today, an important lesson is to go beyond the gender identification, and look into the ideas and values of the particular person. The power and meaning of a message should be reliant on what is being said rather than who is saying it. The National Theatre’s production of The Bacchae would be a revival of an important and meaningful Greek tragedy whose teachings and themes are ever present in today’s society as they were in ancient
Gender identity, and disguising ones true self from others is a topic that has become more relavent today, yet it also played a part in this play. Dionysus is described as an “effeminate man” (Woodruff 24) and having “…long hair… and a pretty face”, yet as Pentheus points out is “good-looking to women” (Bacchae 453-459). Later when Dionysus dresses Pentheus as a women in order to disguise him, the maenads still see him as a man. These two characters invoke notions of cross-dressing and transgender identity conflicts as both look female but are shown in the play and through the dialogue to be male. This subject has become more prevalent today, and this play would convey that this seemingly modern struggle with sexual identity had its roots in ancient times. In the production, as in society today, an important lesson is to go beyond the gender identification, and look into the ideas and values of the particular person. The power and meaning of a message should be reliant on what is being said rather than who is saying it. The National Theatre’s production of The Bacchae would be a revival of an important and meaningful Greek tragedy whose teachings and themes are ever present in today’s society as they were in ancient