Gender Roles Turned Upside Down
A gender role is a social construction of behaviors that are considered acceptable based on sexuality. Typically, women clean, cook and raise children while men endure hard work and make the funds necessary for living. In Euripides’ Bacchae, gender roles are reversed through Dionysus’ hypnotism of the women, the maenads’ predator-like behavior, and Pentheus’ decision to dress like a woman. Not only are women thrust into masculine roles, but Pentheus, a man, is thrust into a feminine role as well. Dionysus has an intoxicating effect on women, and he uses his power to his advantage. Through the use of his enthralling power, he calls the Theban maenads to leave their work. Euripides says, ”There waits a throng of women-born/now stung to leave their work/at loom and shuttle, stung by Dionysus.” (116-118) , which solidifies the idea that women change their roles. Instead of working in the house and making clothes, the maenads now take on a masculine quality because they are free to do what they want. Even under an enchantment, the maenads still manage to dance to “the beat of a swift Bacchic dance” (126).
The abandonment of daily household activities disrupts the lives of the entire village and Pentheus, the King of Thebes, violently protests the change because it threatens to unbalance his entire’s city’s social structure. Girls are supposed to be unyoked before marriage and bound to their husbands and household duties after marriage. He cannot fathom the idea that women are behaving immorally instead of behaving subserviently in their houses. He says,” These women of ours have left their homes/ and run away to the mountains, pretending/ to be Bacchants.” (217-219) , and through the use of “pretending”, he refuses to believe that the women left the homes of their own accord. Running back to the wild to perform rituals likens them once again to unyoked wild animals.
Even though Pentheus initially refuses to believe in the maenad’s lifestyle, he eventually comes to see it as truth. The maenads are ferocious creatures when need be. They “tore the towns to shreds, stole children from the houses,/ put booty on their shoulders.” , which describes the maenads acting in a beastly manner. They tear entire towns to pieces with their own bare hands. This is entirely unheard of! Agavê, Pentheus’ mother, calls the maenads “running dogs of mine” (731), and the maenads chase after the men chasing them. Instead of men chasing women, women chase men. It is an instant role reversal.
After the maenads rip Pentheus to shreds, Agavê demands to be recognized for her prized kill. In regards to the first blow of the kill, she says,” Mine. It was a privilege.” (1179) , and she also says,” And I brought you this with my own arms —/ Do you see? It’s the hero-trophy I captured,” (1238-1239) which reinforces the idea that the maenads present a predator-like behavior. Like an animal, Agavê prides herself on her kill.
Gender role reversal does not only happen to women; Pentheus also demonstrates feminine qualities. In order to witness the maenads’ behavior for himself, Pentheus enlists Dionysus for advice. Dionysus’ suggests to Pentheus that he dress in women’s clothing and wear a wig of long hair. At first, Pentheus detests the idea. Dionysus says, ”Just step inside your house and I’ll fit you out.” (828) , and Pentheus replies,” How? As a woman? That’s disgusting!” (829). To Pentheus, nothing could be more humiliating than being seen in a woman’s clothes. However, Pentheus eventually agrees to Dionysus’ plan. The feminization of Pentheus not only serves as an example of gender roles reversed but also Dionysus’ overpowering power.
Gender roles are nothing more than a construction of behaviors that are viewed as socially acceptable. Men work hard and make money while women stay in the house and raise children. In Euripides’ Bacchae, gender roles are reversed. Dionysus hypnotizes the Theban women to abandon their lives and join him, the maenads’ predator-like behavior, and Pentheus’ reluctant willingness to dress in women’s clothing.
