How far does Pentheus Essay Example for Free

How far does Pentheus EssayAt the beginning of the play I think I would be inclined to agree that Pentheus merits his penalizement but by the end after we are shown the representation that Dionysus reacts to him and how his punishment is completed, I would probably say he does not deserve the punishment he was given. In my opinion it was vile and unnecessary but the ancient Greeks took the Gods will very seriously and the fact that a King was not welcoming to a new matinee idol, seemingly insulted them and thus forced Dionysus to exact vindicate upon him. At the start when Pentheus enters he declares that he has heard rumours that this new god is driving the women to leave their blank spaces and entertain criminal actions. He says his hero-worshippers are frolicking and satisfying the lusts of men. He is basing these blames purely on rumour and even calls Dionysus a parvenu god. He is not obeisanceing the new god and even though he k straights the gods can punish humans, he still refuses to worship him he even states that he will leave him out of his worship when he goes to sleep.He calls him some foreigner and disrespects him by saying he is a wizard illusionist and had fragrant golden curls, not meaning to compliment him but insult him. Here perhaps he does deserve his punishment because he is disrespectful and unkind to the new god because he is a cynical ruler. Cadmus and Tiresias encourage Pentheus to allow Dionysuss worship into the city but here will listen to none of it and he is rude to both of them (which again, is not expected of a king but his pride and arrogance overpowers his respect for his elders).He has absolutely no piety towards Dionysus and insults him once he is brought (in disguise) to Pentheus. He is given many warnings by Dionysus but Pentheus chooses not to hear then and ignores him, he is spoken to in riddles but Pentheus once again shows no understanding and Pentheus even goes as far as mocking Zeus and this makes us ru th him because he does not understand what is going on. In this instance I do not suppose he deserves his punishment. He doesnt believe in Dionysus and his obsession with order proves his downfall, in spite of the warnings he is given. posterior in the play Dionysus has the upper hand by hypnotising Pentheus and forcing him to see a bull and trying to radio link it up. Here we begin to find oneself sorry for Pentheus and think that it is cruel of Dionysus to confuse him. There is a tune between the rage and frustration of Pentheus and the calmness of Dionysus. A herald comes and tells Pentheus about the worship of the Bacchants and Dionysus is quick to trick him to witness it himself, he is lured like a child and is easily persuaded by Dionysus because he is still tranquilize by him.Because he becomes so child-like and vulnerable our lenience for him increases because he is unable to control his actions from here on. I do not believe he deserves his fate now because he is lur ed by Dionysus charm and he has put all of his trust into the gods hands. We feel sorry for Pentheus here and because he is more innocent here (is persuaded to dress up as a bacchant) and does not deserve this cruel punishment Dionysus has planned for him.Dionysus now becomes the cruel one and plays with Pentheus vulnerable state and mentions sick jokes towards his death by saying you shall ride home in your mothers arms. Which is terrible dramatic irony and we are forced to feel compassionate towards Pentheus because we know simply what is going to happen to him. Because it is his mother that is going to kill him, I believe he does not deserve to be killed like this, but by his mother killing him it forces us to take more pity on Pentheus and Agave and I do not believe he deserves his punishment like this.It in effect(p) proves the malice of Dionysus and how far he will go to induce punishment on the city of Thebes in order to be worshipped. So Pentheus deserves his punishment b ecause he was unwilling to accept a new god and refused to worship someone he did not believe in and this resulted in his death but he did not deserve the way in which he was punished because it was his mother who was forced to do it and he was brutally ripped apart while in a child-like state of mind and under Dionysus control. So we feel sympathy towards him and I do not believe he deserved his punishment