Education Guide for Villanova Theatre’s

“I came to thrill you, Thebes. Don’t doubt I will.”

When Dionysus, god of theatre, ecstasy and intoxication discovers

that his cousin King Pentheus has banned his worship and denied his

divinity, all hell breaks loose. Wild women revolt, revels turn to revenge,

and heads will roll. Simultaneously ancient and shockingly contemporary,

this new adaptation takes a sharp look at familial violence, the dangers of

despotism, and the shackles of strict gender roles. This epic tragedy of

mythic proportions–subversive for its time and still provocative today–

captures the raw power of live theatre with the ever-mischievous Dionysus

presiding as master of ceremonies.

Education Guide for Villanova Theatre’sBakkhai

By EuripedesTranslated by Anne Carson

Table of ContentsHow to Use This Guide 1Our Production 1Synopsis 2Prompts

Look Human 3Make Sense 4Know Yourself 5

How to Use This Guide:

This Education Guide is intended to help guide and inspire conversation, reflection and further research in preparation of seeing Villanova Theatre’s public readings of Bakkhai, as well as the productions of new work inspired by the Greek original. It contains a series of Prompts and Extensions organized around the work itself, Villanova Theatre’s production concept, and the broader themes of the Augustinian Cultural Seminar related to identity, culture, and the search for self. They are designed to be used in any order, and can be approached as singular topics for reflection or in combination with one another to support a more nuanced conversation about identity, culture and inclusion.

Our Production:

Villanova Theatre is working closely with the University to arrange for safe and meaningful access to this production that aligns with University health and safety protocols. While this has meant modifying our original plans for the presentation of Carson’s text, it has also presented exciting opportunities to incorporate original companion works created by Villanova Theatre alumni. Toward that end, additional Education Dramaturgy resources that outline and support this process will be shared as soon as they become available.

Additional Resources:

Villanova Theatre Production Dramaturgy Site- Production Glossary and Pronunciation Guide

About the Playwright

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Synopsis of The Bakkhai:

Before the play begins:Angry that her husband Zeus has impregnated the mortal woman Semele, Hera tricks Semele into

seeing the Olympian god in his true form, which kills her instantly. Zeus, however, manages to save his and

Semele’s unborn baby, sewing it into his thigh until it is ready to be born. Even though Semele was a

member of the Theban royal family, they refuse to recognize her “illegitimate” child, Dionysos, as a god and

shun him. Particularly judgemental is Semele’s sister, Agave, who is convinced that Semele's death was

punishment for her blasphemous lies about the baby’s father.

Years pass, and Dionysos travels the Asian continent, establishing a cult of revelry, dancing,

drinking and sexual freedom while gathering a cohort of loyal, mostly female worshippers called the

Bakkhai. Meanwhile, his cousin Pentheus, son of Agave, has become the king of Thebes. Dionysos then

travels home with the intent of punishing his family for denying his divinity.

The action of the play:Upon his arrival, Dionysos drives the women of Thebes into an ecstatic frenzy, sending them to

Mount Cithaeron to dance and hunt. Among them are his aunts Agave, Autonoe, and Ino. They are

collectively referred to as the Maenads to distinguish them from the Bakkhai, the latter of whom follow

Dionysos of their own volition, rather than under the influence of his divine power. Though they are not

hypnotized in the same way as the women, the men of Thebes have also become enthusiastic followers of

the Bacchic rituals. Semele and Agave’s father (and former king of Thebes) Cadmus and the blind seer

Tiresias are among the men who dress in extravagant costumes and join the orgy on Mount Cithaeron.

Disguised as a peasant, Dionysos allows himself to be arrested so that he may confront his cousin,

Pentheus. Despite having condemned and banned participation in the Bacchic rites, it is clear from his

conversation with a still-disguised Dionysos that Pentheus is deeply curious about what he views as a

drunken rebellion against Theban moral and legal codes. Ultimately, Dionysos convinces Pentheus to dress

in women’s clothing in order to spy on the Maenads, so that he may better know and interrupt the source of

their seeming insanity.

Once on the mountain, Dionysos convinces Pentheus to climb a tree for a better view of the Bacchic

rituals. He then alerts the Maenads to the presence of an intruder in their midst. Driven into a frenzy, the

women tear down the tree and then dismember Pentheus with their bare hands. Convinced that she has

killed and beheaded a mountain lion, Agave leads the women back into Thebe’s, carrying her son’s head in

her hands. It is then that Dionysos’ influence begins to wear off, and a horrified Agave realises what she has

done. Finally appearing in his true form, Dionysos sends Agave into exile, and turns Cadmus and his wife,

Harmonia, into snakes.

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Look Human.

In the Prologue, Dionysos twice references “changing form” in order to maneuver in and among mortal humans:

(p. 13)

(p. 15)

PROMPT: Think of a time when you had to “put on a suit” to fit in somewhere. When and where did this happen? Why did you choose or feel compelled to do this? What did this “suit” look and/or feel like? What were the advantages? What were the costs?

EXTENSION: Possible topics for further reflection, conversation and research include code switching and the differences between and nuances of assimilation, inclusion, and segregation. Consider some of the following resources as starting point for definitions, frameworks, and guiding questions:

How to Be an Antiracist, Dr Ibram X. Kendi

Inclusion, Exclusion, Illusion and Collusion, Dr. Helen Turrnbull, TEDxDelray Beach 2013

Identity: Assimilation, Tolerance.org

Exploring Assimilation in American Promise, Tolerance.org

Five Reasons Why People Code-Switch, NPR.org

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Make Sense.

Later, Pentheus searches for information about the mysterious and influential god, unaware that he is, in fact, speaking to the actual Dionysos:

(p. 29)

d aimon : Ancient Greek term that distinguishes “lesser” deities from the major Olympian gods, or theos. Not to be confused with the term demon, though it is worth considering the intentionality of Pentheus’/Carson’s word choice.

PROMPT: In asserting that, “Foreigners all lack sense, compared to Greeks,” Pentheus is establishing a binary: “a social construct composed of two parts that are framed as absolute and unchanging opposites.”1 What other binaries can you identify? Who is served by rigid adherence to binaries? Who is harmed or oppressed by them?

PROMPT: This is not the only time Pentheus expresses his mistrust of Dionysos as a foreign, corrupting influence upon Greece’s cultural homogeneity and “purity.” Consider the following statement from anthropologist Wade Davis, “The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” Do you agree with Davis? Why or why not? What are the potential benefits of a homogeneous culture? What are the downfalls?

EXTENSION: Using Edward T. Hall’s iceberg analogy for culture and this example from actor LeVar Burton, generate and reflect upon contrasting examples of below-the-surface “cultural sense.”

EXTENSION: Consider the above-the-surface markers of culture in Hall’s model, sometimes referred to as the “four fs:” food, fairs, folklore, and (statistical) facts.2 Discuss the value and liabilities of these and other more readily visible indicators of culture. For additional frameworks and prompts, consider incorporating Chapter 7 of How to Be an Antiracist by Dr Ibram X. Kendi.

1 Kang, Milian, et al. “Introduction: Binary Systems.” Introduction to Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License http://openbooks.library.umass.edu/introwgss/chapter/introduction-binary-systems/2 Kramsch, Claire J. (1989) "New Directions in the teaching of language and Culture" OccasionalPaper NFLC, The John Hopkins University, Mass Washington DC.

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Know Yourself.

Increasingly frustrated by Dionysos’ lack of concrete answers to his questions, Pentheus threatens to have the him jailed if he does not cooperate:

(p. 31)

PROMPT: When Dionysos retorts to Pentheus that “You do not know what your life is, nor what you’re doing, nor who you are,” he is likely referencing the concept of predestination in Ancient Greek cosmology, as when he says later, “Zeus approved all of this a long time ago.” How does this view of fate and free will compare to that of St. Augustine? How does it compare to your own?

PROMPT: Why is Pentheus proud of his name? Aside from the opportunity for a petty insult (Pentheus’ name comes from “penthos,” which means grief or sorrow), why might Dionysus challenge him on that? What’s in a name? How are names used across cultures and traditions to signify belonging, lineage, identity, power?

EXTENSION: Research, reflect on and share your own name story. Consider incorporating responses to any of the following: Who chose your name and why? Were you named after someone else? Does your name reflect a cultural or family naming tradition? What is the “meaning” of your name? Does your name exist across cultures? If so, what similarities and differences exist with respect to spelling, pronunciation, and/or meaning? Do you like your name? Why?

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