CUNY TV logo

 

This edition: The Bacchae





Online media for this show is not available on our website.

Episode Details

The city of Thebes is torn apart by the conflicting demands of reason and religion, as the god Dionysus returns to his hometown to demand its worship. Opposing him is the young king Pentheus, who is doomed to suffer the ultimate punishment for his disbelief. Different productions of the play show its endless adaptability. Featured speakers include world-renowned playwright and author Wole Soyinka, actor Alan Cumming, and Daniel Mendelsohn of Bard College.

Guest List

Alan Cumming Actor

Daniel Mendelsohn Critic, Bard College

Wole Soyinka Author

  • No upcoming shows on the schedule
  • No recent shows on the schedule

  • About this series

  • The passionate loves and longings, hopes and fears of every culture live on forever in their stories. Here is your invitation to literature from around the world and across time.
    Great epics, plays, poetry, and other literary texts have made their way around the world through time and translation, and are still captivating audiences today. This multimedia resource invites viewers to appreciate and—most importantly—read these ancient and modern works. The 13 texts are introduced on video by a wide-ranging cast including scholars, translators, artists, and writers. Excerpts of the texts are found on an extensive Web site along with background material and reading support; an interactive timeline and a feature on translation; and resources for teaching and further study.

    • Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram