Humanities 220
Department of English
The Dionysian and Apollonian impulsesin Antigone
Both Dionysus and Apolloare gods of the creative arts in the Greek tradition.
Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Semele(the mortal daughter of Cadmus, King of Thebes). His "native place" isThebes.
When Semele was six months pregnant,Hera, jealous of her husband's infidelity, induced Zeus to appear beforehis mistress in all his splendor as the God of Thunder and Lightning. Needlessto say, Semele was consumed by fire. Zeus was able to save Dionysus outof Semele's ashes and complete his gestation in his own thigh.
Because of his own salvation andstories about bringing Semele back to life, Dionysus is associated withdeath and resurrection. He is also called "Iacchos" and "Bacchus";some stories make him the brother or bridegroom of Persephone.
Like Persephone, Dionysus is associatedwith vegetation myths (death in winter and resurrection in spring). Hisfestival is celebrated in the spring. In one myth, Dionysus is torn topieces by the Titans, but born again every three years, restored to a newbody.
Dionysus inspired a mystery cult,which preceded the creation of Dionysian theatrical festival in Athens.Practitioners within this mystery cult performed ritualistic displays ofgrief for the god's disappearance in the winter and joyous welcoming athis return in the spring. Followers of Dionysus were both women and men,who are often depicted as mad and or intoxicated. Certain female followers,known as maenads, famously (some say madly) ran, screamed, and dancedthrough forests, eating live animals, and decorating themselves with vinesand grapes. The consumption of live animals enabled the followers of Dionysusto "incorporate" their god within themselves.
Dionysus is considered a very sensualgod; the wine produced by the grapes that mark his fertility inspires musicand poetry. Words frequently associated with Dionysus are dance, contradiction(life and death), intoxication, fire, frenzy, mad women, and ecstasy.
Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto(an immortal; one of the Titans). His twin sister was Artemis.
Although he was a distinct god inearly Greek culture, in some traditions Apollo came to be associated withthe SUN. He was always a god of light, and, like Dionysus, he inspiredpoetry and music. Unlike Dionysus, however, Apollo's poetry and music areelevated and orderly. He is sober, elegant, and eloquent; he plays thelyre; he is never ecstatic.
Though his association with light,Apollo comes to represent justice, prophecy, and mental and moral purity.
There is also a contradictory sideto Apollo: he is the god of plague as well as the god of healing.
Rather than having a cult following,Apollo was honored with shrines, most famously at Delphi and Delos. Atthese shrines, seekers of truth and wisdom sought oracles (predictionsor clarifications of facts) from one of Apollo's priests or priestesses.
Words associated with Apollo arelight, music, poetry, eloquence, justice, morality, purity, elevatedthought, restraint, and order.
We might think of these two godsrepresenting the "irrational" and the "rational." How do Dionysian andApollonian impulses show up in Antigone?
As the god whose native city is Thebes,Dionysus is directly invoked throughout Sophocles' play. Apollonian orderis the implicit contrast, appearing in references to the sun, to law andjustice, and to restraint.
Examples (page references are toThree Theban Plays):
- First song of chorus (65) hails thesun in celebrating the victory of Thebes and Creon.
- The song turns Dionysian (66); cutsoff when Creon appears.
- Chorus is anti-Dionysian in supportingCreon, "only a fool could be in love with death" (69). Compare Antigone'sattitude (82).
- "Song of Man" (76) is Apollonian (mantames earth, yokes sky, conquers water, creates laws and justice). Butman can't conquer death.
- Creon fears anarchy and losing control(94).
- "Song of Love" (101) associates lovewith madness.
- Chorus tells Antigone she went too far(103).
- "Song of Danaë" (108) recalls otherpunishments in tombs and the story of Dionysus and Lycurgus (what happensif someone represses madness?).
- Tiresias explains to Creon that he triedto light a fire to burn a sacrifice (111), but no fire came (suggestingthe squelching of the Dionysian?).
- "Song to Dionysus" (118) recalls thegod, after Creon agrees to bury Polyneices and free Antigone.
