A Comparison of Vengeance in Electra, The Bacchae and Frankenstein Essa

Vengeance in Electra, The Bacchae and Frankenstein In todays world, vengeance is still in existence, bubbling below our calm facade, time lag for the catalyst it needs to break loose. Evidence can be seen right now in the reactions of the American people towards Bin Laden. He destroyed so many lives, and now, there is probably not one American that would not love to get their minute alone with him. The American people want to evil him the way he and his followers hurt their fellow Americans, their family. This hunger for vengeance is completely Dionysian and is found in more than one written work. Electra is unadulterated with the Dionysian quest for vengeance that prevails also in The Bacchae. It is found again in Frankenstein, a work bubbling over with vengeful deaths. This Dionysian pastime for vengeance is carried out on family offenders, whether they be of the family in question or not. Dionysus, a member of Cadmus family, causes the death of his cousin Pentheus. Penthe us commits a deadly mistake when he denies Dionysus as a god and attempts to capture him, thus invoking the wrath of Dionysus. This is the same type of vengeance found in Electras family. In Electras family, if one commits a family offense, an stark(a) cycle of the Dionysian principle of vengeance ensues vengeance takes precedent over family ties, thus forsaking them. With Victor Frankenstein and his monster, the principle is also at work, though it exists for each(prenominal) of them in response to the other. This principle is born into Electras family long before her own tragedies transpire. It begins with the sons of Pelops and all of the adultery and murder a la mode that occur in that branch of Electras family history. However, this... ...al, is to strike out at those who seek or have harmed us, and to destroy them in any means possible. Rest assured that if any Americans are involved in the Bin Laden affair, that the thirst for vengeance on them will be overpowering. The Dionysian principle of vengeance is still very ofttimes alive, lurking below the surface, waiting for the justification it needs to break free. Works Cited C.K. Williams,The Bacchae Of Euripides (New Version)New York Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000 Sophocles Electra New York Dover Publications Inc., 1995 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein New York Dover Publications Inc., 1994 Bush Speaks From Oval Office http//multimedia.belointeractive.com/ advance/news/text0911.html Bin Laden Has Nowhere To Run - Nowhere To Hide, madblast.com The House of Atreus http//ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa110497.htm