Repression of Women in Euripides The Bacchae Essay -- Feminism Women

Repression of Women in Euripides The Bacchae Many different interpretations can be derived from themes in Euripidess The Bacchae, most of which convey that, in order to punish the women of Thebes for their impudence, the god Dionysus drove them mad. However, there is evidence to believe that another factor played into this confrontation. Because of the trend of anthropoid dominance in Greek society, women suffered in oppression and bore a social stigma which led to their own vulnerability in becoming Dionysuss target. In essence, the Thebian women practically fostered Dionysian insanity through their longing to rebel against social norms. Their debilitating conditions as women prompted them to search for a way to transfigure themselves with male qualities in order to vehemence their social subordination. According to research, the role of women in classical Greece was extremely limited. Men and women were segregated all over in the Greek society, even in the situat ion (Source 9). Women were secluded in their homes to the point of not being able to leave their own quarters except on special religious occasions or as necessity dictated (Source 10). All women were tightly controlled and confined to the home to insure that their husbands were provided legitimate male heirs. Beyond this, women had no true value (Source 6). Clearly, male domination in Greek society was like enslavement to women. A marriage contract dated 92 B.C. can be located in Womens Life in Greece & Rome by Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fant which defines unacceptable behavior within the union of marriage. The document requires that both husband and wife be unstained within the context of the household, but although nothing prevents ... ...because their position in life made them more susceptible to this kind of delirium. Works Cited Williams, C.K. The Bacchae of Euripides Faraone, Christopher A. Ancient Greek jockey and Magic Http//www.hup.harvard.edu/catal og/FARANC.html Gleason, Maud W. Making Men Sophists and Self-Presentation in Ancient Rome Http//pup.princeton.edu/titles/5574.html Lefkowitz, Mary R. And Maureen B. Fant Womens Life in Greece & Rome http//uky.edu/ArtsSciences/Classics/wlgr/wlgr-greeklegal101.html Http//didaskalia.berkeley.edu/supplements/supp1/rabinowitz.html Http//novaonline.nv.cc.va.us/eli/eng251/agamemguide.html Http//pup.princeton.edu/titles/5665.html Http//www.classicnote.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/bacchae/themes.html Http//www.ifi.uio.no/thomas/ai/ai03.txt Http//www.iwu.edu/mblodget/hypergoddess.html