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The Bacchae

By Euripides - Stage play

Stage playStageScene 1

Roles

  • Dionysus - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

Dionysus introduces the story

Summary

In this monologue Dionysus introduces the audience to the story of the play. He tells us that his mother, Semele, was a mistress of Zeus, and became pregnant with him as a result of their relationship. Dionysus, therefore, claims to be a deity himself. He also narrates how his mother died, that is she looked at Zeus in his divine form, a lightning bolt, and was instantly killed. Even if he was saved and protected by Hermes, his mother's family, Cadmus, Agave, Autonoe and Ino, refuse to accept Dionysus is Zeus' son and Dionysus tells us he has come back to Thebes to seek revenge and prove his true divine nature.

Tone

AngryPersuasiveDescriptiveLamentingIntroduction to storyTalking to the audienceReminiscing life story/Telling a story

Use cases

classaudition
View on Actorama

Library metadata only. SceneFiend never includes script text here - pick up the published version to rehearse.

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