Rejection of Violence in the Bacchae -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 20:11:53 02/07/08 Thu
Author: Erin Risch
Subject: Rejection of Violence in the Bacchae

So I was finishing up the Bacchae and I noticed an interesting speech from the "wise" messenger. He describes the violent death of Pentheus, saying:

"Everyone shouted out together--Pentheus groaning as long as he went on breathing, the women yelling their cries of triumph at the sacrifice. One of them carried an arm, another a foot still in its shoe, his ribs were laid bare as they tore him apart, and with their bloody hands they all played ball with Pentheus' flesh." (1131-1136)

Further down the page, the messenger gives a typical affirmation of moderation:

"Moderation and piety towards the gods--these are the noblest ends, and I think that mortals who practise them possess the truest wisdom." (1150-1152).

Is Euripides purposefully putting these two shockingly contradictory statements so close together in the text? Playing ball with Pentheus' flesh seems quite remote from moderation and piety. Perhaps having these two sentiments so near to one another is supposed to jar certain questions into the mind of the reader/watcher.

Furthermore, when Cadmus is leading Agave to understanding, he says, referring to Pentheus's head: "Look at it closely and you will reach a clearer understanding" (1281-1282). This could be a command to both Agave and to the audience.

Finally, near the end of the play, Cadmus says, "It is not fitting that gods should be like mortals in their rage." It seems that he may be commenting on the violence inherent in the sacred. Perhaps Girard would say, "It is not fitting that the violence of the sacred should resemble the violence of real conflict."

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