The Bacchae | Study Guide

Euripides

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Course Hero. "The Bacchae Study Guide." June 23, 2017. Accessed September 22, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Bacchae/.

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Course Hero, "The Bacchae Study Guide," June 23, 2017, accessed September 22, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Bacchae/.

Exodos

Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth summary and analysis of the exodos of Euripides's play The Bacchae.

The Bacchae | Exodos | Summary

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Summary

The chorus sings one final song about the power of the gods, singing "what people thought would happen" never happened, while what was unexpected, the gods made happen. It then exits without offering any further insights on these events.

Analysis

Fitting the tone and expectations for a tragedy, Euripides's play ends on a philosophical point: The gods are unpredictable; of only this can human beings ever be certain. The chorus leaves without clarifying any of the main themes for the audience. The very last line, "That's what this story has revealed," implies Euripides's goal was to show this one truth, not necessarily to take a particular stance for or against Dionysus, or religion.

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