Oedipus or Bacchae better tragedy?
Intro – Both are great tragedies, follow the rules of traditional Greek tragedy and
are tragic stories so popular they were able to remain relevant in literature until
the 21st c. Both stories centre around a main character who one could argue
causes their own undoing and I shall argue the case of why the B or OTK are
good tragedies while pointing out the flaws of each.
Oedeipus good tragedy
Deeply tragic hero – audience can sympathize with him but he’s flawed,
neither particularly. Good pr bad - "Oedipus is his own destroyer" - Fagles
Tragic end – Oedipus blind
Dramatic irony – audience would’ve known the myth of Oedipus and him
getting with his mum
Teaches a message – cant escape fate
Uses messenger speeches to convey violence – o blinding himself
More traditional tragedy
Entertaining for audience with extreme violence and mystery
Patricide and incest – main themes add to drama – audience fear him –
‘patricidal man was dangerous to be near’ - Hall
Bacchae good tragedy
Tragic end – Pentheus dead
Tragic hero – tricked into going mad by abusive power of gods
Dramatic irony – know from beginning Dionysus is going to kill Pentheus
Message taught – respect the gods
Typical tragic techniques – offstage violence - Uses messenger speeches to
convey violence – p dead
Entertaining for audience with extreme violence and abomination to
greeks – attention grasping – human sacrifice, filicide and cannibalism
Why Is the better tragedy
better tragic hero – audience can sympathize with him but hes flawed,
Pentheus is a worse tragic hero in comparison – not sympathetic or really
likable with because he’s mean and rude- feel worse for his mum not him –
tragic hero is someone “who falls into bad fortune through not vice or
wickedness but through some mistake” – Aristotle – just like O, but P
intentionally insults Dionysus
better plot sequence in O – follows a murder mystery slowly uncovering
secrets and plot creates more tension as audience excited to find out next
thing
Euripides purposely takes more creative direction with story to make it
more tragic
should involve suffering, recognition and reversal” – Aristotle –
follows this better as Pentheus suffers but has no recognition of his
wrongdoings – “Pentheus "has a tragic flaw but no moment of
recognition; that's taken by his mother Agave"
Dionysus himself is there – more powerful impact “one of the most
powerful moments in world theatre” - Hall, No direct involvement from the
gods, only hear what they want but don’t see it
, Good choral costumes – leopard prints and stuff visually pleasing – foreign
women, Poor costumes of chorus – less engaging old ladies – simple and
plain
Better props – pentheus’ head – better visuals
Better choral odes – chorus hated Pentheus and bashed him
Audience already know a significant part of the plot – Oedipus really
popular myth
Conclusion
Oedipus more emotional – “if the audience is not moved then the tragedy
however intellectual is a failure – Taplin
Going to the theatre was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience.” To what extent do you agree
One could argue that going to the theatre was a deeply religious
experience for the Athenian audience as the Theatre of Dionysus was built
on top the sanctuary of Dionysus to remind the Athenian citizens of the
God’s presence as well as a form of linking Dionysus to the theatre.
Furthermore, the theatre reflects the Athenian religion as the prohedria,
which was the first row in the Theatre of Dionysus and sat the most
important in Athenian society, sat the Priest of Dionysus in the Theatre to
show his importance as the God’s representative on Earth to the Athenian
citizens and further reflecting how theatre was a religious experience for
the Athenians.
Additionally, theatre was a deeply religious experience as theatres such as
the Theatre of Dionysus had altars in them showing the important part
religion played in Theatre in Athens.
Moreover, going to theatre was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience during events such as the City Dionysia where religious
tributed such as a Pompe which was a grand religious procession at the
start of the festival and the City Dionysia further honoured the Gods with
the Dithyramb held which was also a choral dance held in honour of
Dionysus highlighting the deep importance of the God during the festival .
In addition to, the City Dionysia was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience as multiple sacrifices are made to the God Dionysus
during it such as the sacrifice of a sacred bull, a piglet and libations to
please the god and this shows how religious worship is at the centre of
Athenian theatre.
One could also argue that the City Dionysia was a deeply religious
experience as there was 1 Satyr play presented every 3 tragedies, and
this shows how deep rooted religion was in Athenian theatre because the
plays closely were related to Dionysus who was a common character
showing the God’s religious importance in Greek theatre.
Intro – Both are great tragedies, follow the rules of traditional Greek tragedy and
are tragic stories so popular they were able to remain relevant in literature until
the 21st c. Both stories centre around a main character who one could argue
causes their own undoing and I shall argue the case of why the B or OTK are
good tragedies while pointing out the flaws of each.
Oedeipus good tragedy
Deeply tragic hero – audience can sympathize with him but he’s flawed,
neither particularly. Good pr bad - "Oedipus is his own destroyer" - Fagles
Tragic end – Oedipus blind
Dramatic irony – audience would’ve known the myth of Oedipus and him
getting with his mum
Teaches a message – cant escape fate
Uses messenger speeches to convey violence – o blinding himself
More traditional tragedy
Entertaining for audience with extreme violence and mystery
Patricide and incest – main themes add to drama – audience fear him –
‘patricidal man was dangerous to be near’ - Hall
Bacchae good tragedy
Tragic end – Pentheus dead
Tragic hero – tricked into going mad by abusive power of gods
Dramatic irony – know from beginning Dionysus is going to kill Pentheus
Message taught – respect the gods
Typical tragic techniques – offstage violence - Uses messenger speeches to
convey violence – p dead
Entertaining for audience with extreme violence and abomination to
greeks – attention grasping – human sacrifice, filicide and cannibalism
Why Is the better tragedy
better tragic hero – audience can sympathize with him but hes flawed,
Pentheus is a worse tragic hero in comparison – not sympathetic or really
likable with because he’s mean and rude- feel worse for his mum not him –
tragic hero is someone “who falls into bad fortune through not vice or
wickedness but through some mistake” – Aristotle – just like O, but P
intentionally insults Dionysus
better plot sequence in O – follows a murder mystery slowly uncovering
secrets and plot creates more tension as audience excited to find out next
thing
Euripides purposely takes more creative direction with story to make it
more tragic
should involve suffering, recognition and reversal” – Aristotle –
follows this better as Pentheus suffers but has no recognition of his
wrongdoings – “Pentheus "has a tragic flaw but no moment of
recognition; that's taken by his mother Agave"
Dionysus himself is there – more powerful impact “one of the most
powerful moments in world theatre” - Hall, No direct involvement from the
gods, only hear what they want but don’t see it
, Good choral costumes – leopard prints and stuff visually pleasing – foreign
women, Poor costumes of chorus – less engaging old ladies – simple and
plain
Better props – pentheus’ head – better visuals
Better choral odes – chorus hated Pentheus and bashed him
Audience already know a significant part of the plot – Oedipus really
popular myth
Conclusion
Oedipus more emotional – “if the audience is not moved then the tragedy
however intellectual is a failure – Taplin
Going to the theatre was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience.” To what extent do you agree
One could argue that going to the theatre was a deeply religious
experience for the Athenian audience as the Theatre of Dionysus was built
on top the sanctuary of Dionysus to remind the Athenian citizens of the
God’s presence as well as a form of linking Dionysus to the theatre.
Furthermore, the theatre reflects the Athenian religion as the prohedria,
which was the first row in the Theatre of Dionysus and sat the most
important in Athenian society, sat the Priest of Dionysus in the Theatre to
show his importance as the God’s representative on Earth to the Athenian
citizens and further reflecting how theatre was a religious experience for
the Athenians.
Additionally, theatre was a deeply religious experience as theatres such as
the Theatre of Dionysus had altars in them showing the important part
religion played in Theatre in Athens.
Moreover, going to theatre was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience during events such as the City Dionysia where religious
tributed such as a Pompe which was a grand religious procession at the
start of the festival and the City Dionysia further honoured the Gods with
the Dithyramb held which was also a choral dance held in honour of
Dionysus highlighting the deep importance of the God during the festival .
In addition to, the City Dionysia was a deeply religious experience for the
Athenian audience as multiple sacrifices are made to the God Dionysus
during it such as the sacrifice of a sacred bull, a piglet and libations to
please the god and this shows how religious worship is at the centre of
Athenian theatre.
One could also argue that the City Dionysia was a deeply religious
experience as there was 1 Satyr play presented every 3 tragedies, and
this shows how deep rooted religion was in Athenian theatre because the
plays closely were related to Dionysus who was a common character
showing the God’s religious importance in Greek theatre.
