The Chorus Character Analysis in The Bacchae

The chorus is a group of Bacchae that Dionysus accumulated during his journeying through Asia. They don’t get involved in the action, but serve as a way of heightening the drama. For example, they invoke the “hounds of madness” in anticipation of Pentheus’ murder. In general, the chorus acts as a kind of commentary in the action—but in this case, they’re undoubtedly biased towards Dionysus.

The Chorus Quotes in The Bacchae

The The Bacchae quotes below are all either spoken by The Chorus or refer to The Chorus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Disguise, Deception, and Identity Theme Icon

Blessèd are those who know the mysteries of the god.
Blessèd are those who consecrate their lives to worship.
Blessèd are those who give themselves up to the dance,
to the mysteries, to purification on the holy mountain
where the dance and the mysteries take place.

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker), Dionysus

Page Number and Citation: Lines 72-76

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote, which is from the first lines by the chorus, exemplifies one way that mortals can navigate their relationship to the gods—by not trying too hard to understand the gods and instead paying tribute to the mystery. Dionysus is not a god who is meant to be understood; he can’t be rationalized away through humans’ limited understanding. Instead, mortals can best protect themselves from his wrath by getting it in touch with their irrationality through the medium of Dionysian rituals (such as ecstatic dancing). It’s also worth remembering that the chorus is comprised of Dionysus’ female followers, the Bacchae—so Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut

CHORUS
Look: the stone lintels gape from their columns!
The Roaring One is pulling down the palace from inside!

DIONYSUS
Spark the lightning bolt!
Let the flames feed on the house of Pentheus!

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker), Dionysus (speaker), Pentheus

Related Symbols: The Palace

Page Number and Citation: Lines 591-594

Explanation and Analysis:

Once Pentheus has imprisoned Dionysus (disguised as a mortal priest), it’s time for the god to start showing his true powers. Dionysus uses his supernatural might to bring Pentheus’ palace crashing to the ground, thereby undermining his authority and further distressing the king’s psyche. “The Roaring One” is just one of many alternative names for Dionysus. There’s also a clear signal towards Dionysus’ godly parentage here: his father is Zeus, whose divine form is a lightning storm. By using his fearsome control over the elements, Dionysus emphasizes his godliness—the very point he vowed to prove at the beginning of the Dolore

The gods take many shapes,
accomplish many things beyond our expectations.
What we look for does not happen;
what we least expect is fashioned by the gods.
And that is what has happened here today.

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker), Dionysus

Page Number and Citation: Lines 1388-1392

Explanation and Analysis:

These are the closing lines of the play, offering a dissatisfying explanation for the events that have transpired. In a way, the fact the explanation is dissatisfying is appropriate. The point the chorus is making here is that mortals can’t expect to understand gods—it’s arrogant to think that anyone, whether characters in the play or members of the audience, can really rationalize Dionysus’ actions. Dionysus is especially relevant to this idea, because he is positioned as the very god responsible for irrationality—no wonder it’s hard to make sense of him. The play, then, ends on a note that offers no Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi.

The Chorus Character Timeline in The Bacchae

The timeline below shows where the character The Chorus appears in The Bacchae. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The chorus sings Dionysus’ praises, charting their journey from Asia to Greece. They say those who give... (full context)

...Dionysus so he can make money on the side from burnt offerings and prophecies. The chorus accuses Pentheus of “blasphemy.” (full context)

...respects to the god, and Tiresias predicts that Pentheus’ actions will “end in folly.” The chorus sings further praises of Dionysus, warning that “over-reaching mortals simply shorten their lives.” (full context)

The chorus sings about Dionysus’ birth and Pentheus’ betrayal of his origins. The singers call on Dionysus... (full context)

Dionysus calls to the chorus and his other followers from within the palace. He brings about a great earthquake to... (full context)

Dionysus explains to the chorus how he escaped from the palace. Apparently, he had deceived Pentheus throughout their interaction. Pentheus... (full context)

The leader of the chorus tells Pentheus that there is no god greater than Dionysus. Pentheus tells his servant to... (full context)

...the palace to think about what he should do. Dionysus makes it clear to the chorus that he intends to drive Pentheus mad and embarrass him. Then, Pentheus will “finally know... (full context)

The chorus sings about gods and honor: “the greatest gift of the gods is honor: to reach... (full context)

The chorus invokes the “hounds of madness” to run to the mountains and send the Bacchae into... (full context)

The second messenger arrives, bearing “mournful” news—Pentheus is dead. The leader of the chorus celebrates. When chastised by the messenger, the chorus leader says: “I am no Greek, and... (full context)

The chorus celebrates what’s happened to Pentheus. Agave enters, carrying her thyrsus with the head of Pentheus... (full context)

...dishonoring the god. They bid farewell to each other and leave in different directions. The chorus closes the play: “what we look for does not come to pass; what we least... (full context)

The Chorus Character Analysis

The Chorus Quotes in The Bacchae

Lines 1 - 168 Quotes

Lines 520 - 866 Quotes

Lines 1023 - 1392 Quotes

The Chorus Character Timeline in The Bacchae