The Bacchae is a major Greek tragedy and anyone who has read Euripides’ famous work would agree. Although the point of a work isn’t to dwell on the “what if’s” or “how could this or that be changed,” because that would comprise an entirely different work, I believe the outcome of the Bacchae could have been avoided several different times throughout the text, especially if Pentheus had been more welcoming towards Dionysus.
The first change of fate that may have been implored to modify the outcome of the work would have been to not even begin the blasphemy. Although an idealistic change, the disrespect began with Cadmus’ three daughters claiming that Semele’s child wasn’t the son of Zeus, and if they had believed her in the beginning, perhaps the events of the Bacchae wouldn’t have occurred. The work begins with the background:
“Why did I choose Thebes? Because my mother’s sisters, who should have been the last to even think of saying such a thing, started rumors: that Dionysus is not the son of Zeus, that Semele’s lover had been…show more content… Pentheus’ grandfather, Cadmus, and Tiresias were off to praise Dionysus and encouraged Pentheus to join them, however, Pentheus ridiculed them and prevented them from doing so; if Pentheus hadn’t been as stern and glib the tragedy may have been prevented. Pentheus states that because of the Bacchae’s behavior he will “have them in cages” (19). Pentheus is so convinced that this behavior is unacceptable and not willing to hear to anyone’s reasoning as to the behavior. When he believes that he has found the man responsible for the women’s actions, his immediate thought is to tie, chain, or cage him. One would think that there may have been a difference between Pentheus ignoring Dionysus and the Bacchae’s actions, if it bothered him that much, compared with chaining or caging