Abstract

The ability for mortals to understand the deities they worship is a common human problem. Within Euripides’ Bacchae, Dionysus appears to others in several different forms. Dionysus’ manifestations both distinguish divinities from mortals and abolish those distinctions. As a disembodied voice and an arbiter of divine justice Dionysus defines himself as a divinity capable of the destruction of his enemies, and thereby provides his devotees with a reason to seek communion with him. As the Stranger, Dionysus allows his followers to communicate with him on an intimate level and provides them with the assurance that he cares for their well being. As wine he provides his followers with a means to cope with their daily troubles. However, Dionysus’ immanent forms only hold meaning with the knowledge that he is a distinct divine entity. This makes both the forms which distinguish him from his devotees and the forms which bring him closer to his devotees mutually dependent on one another: only through both types of manifestation does Dionysus fit the role of a provider for his devotees. This paper seeks to show that through the different forms that Dionysus takes within Euripides’ Bacchae, his immanent and transcendent qualities balance, which allows him to successfully provide for his followers.