The Bacchae (Euripides)

"The Bacchae," a play by Euripides, explores the clash between reason and irrationality, tradition and change. It tells the story of King Pentheus of Thebes, who dismisses the god Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and revelry. Disguised as a mortal, Dionysus seeks to prove his divinity. After a series of events fueled by Pentheus's hubris and curiosity, he witnesses the ecstatic rites of Dionysus's followers, leading to tragic consequences. The play underscores themes of duality in human nature, the dangers of repression, and the balance between civilization and nature. Its powerful climax reveals the consequences of denying the divine.