Seeing that Dionysus is a God and Pentheus is a mortal, Dionysus’ punishment of Thebes and their king is befitting Pentheus’ treachery. It is known that interactions with Gods can end in one of two ways, either in friendship or in destruction depending on how you cooperate with and supplicate the God(s). In this case Pentheus disrespected the God Dionysus and he felt it necessary to teach him a lesson in respect. If only the king of Thebes had listened to the warnings of others and just showed the proper recognition and worship to the God all would be well. However, Pentheus’ stubbornness and closed mindedness and unwillingness to acknowledge the God is what lead to his demise at the hands Dionysus.
Relationships with Gods are tricky and worshiping…show more content… His views on the rituals are that they are an abomination, they make women go mad in search of men to seduce in the woods. This intolerant mindset of Pentheus’ is a problem that is a stepping stone for his death. Even when witnesses come to tell him of with they’ve seen in the woods, he still rejects the idea that what is going on is peaceful and by no means harmful in anyway. He has this preconceived idea that is inextinguishable, for no one can convince him of anything different. The positive images that the eye witnesses try to present Pentheus with are tarnished by his incessant need to disagree.
In both the above cases Pentheus is stubborn, no matter what anyone is telling him. In the beginning his own grandfather-Cadmus tries to tell him that he shouldn’t be so defensive against the Bacchae. Tiresias even explains to Pentheus that since Dionysus is the God of wine, which brings relief from mortal suffering it is wise to supplicate the God. Even with multiple people trying to persuade the mighty king of Thebes he still refuses to listen. It is only when Dionysus tempts his curiosity that he relents and decides to see for himself the true nature of the situation, even though this a set up for is