women and religion - Worship of Dionysus (ATH)

Question 1

prescribed source:
the maenad cup

Answer 1

date: 490 - 480 BCE
purpose: a drinking cup for wine
style: white ground vase painting

same pattern around neck as animal in hand –> hunting (masculine activity - ekstasis)

excess drapery/pleats for dancing –> would be expensive and rich girls get less freedom - ekstasis

open stance –> inviting us to look at her in comparison to the grave stele of Ampharete

snake around head –> portrays altered state of mind (drunkenness)

arms showing - not modest compared to a kyria

Question 2

what does euripides say about the worship of Dionysus in the Bacchae

Answer 2

King Pentheus of Thebes plots to stop Dionysus worship
Dionysus doesn’t have it and arranged for him to infiltrate the rituals as a woman
the maenads and Pentheus’ mum in their drunken state notice him but mistake him for a lion cub
they hunt and chase him and rip him limb for limb
only after does Agave realise it’s her son

Question 3

why is euripides not a reliable source

Answer 3

as a man, euripides would not be allowed in
a mystery cult so speaking to a celebrant is rare
tragic playwright - dramatising for audience