Sure this is Rational

Throughout the play, Bacchae, by Euripides, one can see many cases of irrationality and total bizarreness. In the Exodus (Final Scene), starting on page 47, these themes of irrationality and bizarreness are shown quite clearly. Starting in lines 1170, Agave expresses what she has brought down from the mountains. She believes she has captured a blessed hunt. Agave really does think that she has become this praised hunter, especially in lines 1174, “I caught him, with no ropes or snares. A lion’s cub-- he’s young, can you see?” Agave does not realize that this winning catch she has is the head of her own son, Pentheus. Agave not knowing she has her son’s head on a stake is a clear example of this bizarreness. Who put this absurd confusion in her head? The root of this craziness comes from none other than Dionysus, the god of intoxication.

The only reason Agave is puzzled by who she has on her stake is because Dionysus, also known as Bacchae, makes Agave, along with other women, basically insane in the head. Dionysus baits Pentheus into the mountains where these estranged women are because Dionysus knows what is going to happen to Pentheus. Dionysus makes Pentheus believe he needs to dress up like a woman in order to stay hidden. However, once Dionysus and Pentheus finally arrive to the mountain, Dionysus leaves and reappears as Bacchae to the crazy women. Bacchae tells the women to kill Pentheus, and he even tells them that Pentheus is disguised as a woman (pg. 44). The bizarre part is that Dionysus originally hides Pentheus on top of a super tall tree, but then Dionysus immediately goes and tells the women where he is. Now, why does Dionysus even want Pentheus dead? I asked this question more than enough throughout this play.

In scene two, Pentheus and Dionysus are talking and Pentheus disses Dionysus probably one too many times (pgs. 18-21). Dionysus takes serious offense to all of these disses from Pentheus, which sort of makes sense. However, Dionysus takes things way too far by eventually having Pentheus’ own mother murder him. Throughout this play, Dionysus constantly tries to convince people he is a god. However, a lot of people do not believe Dionysus (pg. 2). Yes, Pentheus antagonizes Dionysus, but does it really make sense to have him, alone,  killed? Pentheus is not stabbed or hanged. Instead, Dionysus orders the women to brutally rip him apart limb from limb (pg. 45). This murder scene is gory, brutal, and easily defined as overkill. Dionysus, or Bacchae, even has Pentheus’ own mother lead the attack. I understand Dionysus wants to get back at Pentheus for how he treated Dionysus, but still, this murder is way too far. So many people disregard Dionysus as a god, but why choose to brutally kill Pentheus? Dionysus probably thinks that justice is served, now that Pentheus is dead. I seriously do not understand the rationality of this killing because all it does is make Agave, the mother of Pentheus, feel horrible about herself and not understand what has happened (pg.56). Overall, was this senseless and over the top murder of Pentheus really worth it, or even justifiable?