Dionysus: The Greek God

Because Dionysus is the Greek god of two disparate, popular, humanly things: wine and theater, he was substantially honored in Greek culture; the Festival of Dionysus took place annually to praise and celebrate the god. Dionysus, also called Bacchos, was one of the most important gods in everyday life because he was a merry god who inspired poetry and theater which were important in Greek society (Sacks). However, because he signified wine as well, he was a cruel god; wine was seen as something that made people happy but also drunk and barbaric. Greeks wanted to celebrate both of these ideas together, so the Festival of Dionysus was held in honor of him. It took place in Athens in the spring when vines started to bear leaves because stories

All Athenian citizens attended the celebration: women as well as men, visitors from throughout Greece, and even prisoners were released (“Dionysus”).

The Festival of Dionysus was one of the most important events of the year because, according to “Great Dionysia,” this festivity was an “Ancient dramatic festival in which tragedy, comedy, and satiric drama originated” (“Great”). Scriptwriters, actors, and singers performed an act of

For example, according to mythology, Dionysus died a violent death. “Festival of Dionysus” states that after mocking his father, the Titans attacked the god with knives and continued to change his form: first to a young man, then to a lion, a horse, a serpent, and finally he was killed in the form of a bull. His later resurrection was believed to be the cause of the regeneration of plants and the fertility of animals. On the first day of the Festival of Dionysus, wine was celebrated when his death and resurrection were reenacted through the killing of a bull (“Festival”). An additional important aspect was the honoring of Dionysus’s statue. One of his most known qualities was his appearance; he was extremely handsome, and many famous statues, sculptures, and paintings were made to honor him. “Birth of the Masks of Comedy and Tragedy” illustrates that people also participated in the wearing of masks in performances to impersonate the god; Dionysus concealed both his identity and his power, represented by the wearing of masks. People believed it would free them from secret desires and buried regrets. Tragic masks showed mournful or pained expressions, while comic masks were smiling. The shape of masks amplified actors’ voices, so the audience could hear the words easier. (“Ancient”). The purpose of these and other happenings mentioned were to