The Greek play Bacchae by Euripides explores the concepts of religious fervor and skepticism and helps a reader analyze how these concepts are opposed to each other, how these ideas are demonstrated in the play and how religious fervor and skepticism are still relevant in our society today. Euripides uses religion, one of the most controversial subjects in the world, to demonstrate the power it has on its believers. Euripides also demonstrates the criticism believers can receive from non believers. Religious fervor and skepticism play a huge part in the framework of this play and are concepts that are extremely relevant to our present day world. Even though both these themes revolve around the concept of belief, religious fervor and skepticism
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religious fervor involving the characters Pentheus and Agave. Even though these characters share the same blood, they share completely different beliefs. Pentheus plays the role of religious skeptic when he doesn’t support the worship of Dionysus. Pentheus shows himself as this when he states, “Do your raving elsewhere! Don’t smear your silliness on me. I’ll find that man, the one who taught you this stupidity and punish him” (Euripides 754). Agave, Pentheus’ mother, demonstrates someone who is caught up in religious fervor. A reader can see this when she kills her own son. “Her mind was mindless now. Held by the god, she paid the man no heed” (Euripides 776). This story makes it known that even people from the same cloth can share different beliefs. The beliefs these characters upheld ended up being directly responsible for the narrative of the story and for their downfall. Pentheus ends up dying because of his disbelief and skepticism in Dionysus. In contrast, Agave kills her own son because of her belief in the god. The results of their reactions leads readers to see that religion and personal belief are very passionate subjects. If someone feels their beliefs are being attacked and rejected, it can make them do anything. It can be the cause of ruined relationships, death and
religious fervor involving the characters Pentheus and Agave. Even though these characters share the same blood, they share completely different beliefs. Pentheus plays the role of religious skeptic when he doesn’t support the worship of Dionysus. Pentheus shows himself as this when he states, “Do your raving elsewhere! Don’t smear your silliness on me. I’ll find that man, the one who taught you this stupidity and punish him” (Euripides 754). Agave, Pentheus’ mother, demonstrates someone who is caught up in religious fervor. A reader can see this when she kills her own son. “Her mind was mindless now. Held by the god, she paid the man no heed” (Euripides 776). This story makes it known that even people from the same cloth can share different beliefs. The beliefs these characters upheld ended up being directly responsible for the narrative of the story and for their downfall. Pentheus ends up dying because of his disbelief and skepticism in Dionysus. In contrast, Agave kills her own son because of her belief in the god. The results of their reactions leads readers to see that religion and personal belief are very passionate subjects. If someone feels their beliefs are being attacked and rejected, it can make them do anything. It can be the cause of ruined relationships, death and