Euripides' The Bacchae: A Deadly Choice

Oftentimes, it is surprising how much a short moment, a single choice, can affect and change the course of a person's life. The power of choice is both a blessing as well as a curse for the human race. Unfortunately, often more than not, the negative aspects of free will become manifest. In theater especially, the constant theme of choice is a deeply rooted and powerful part of dramatic literature. From the chilling Shakespeare tragedy Macbeth, when a Scottish nobleman and his wife make the decision to usurp the crown (eventually leading to their own downfall), to Arthur Miller's powerful and dark drama about the Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible, in which the self-protecting lies of a group of schoolgirls result in the trial and execution of many innocents for witchcraft, the chilling repercussions of dramatic characters' choices quickly become clear to the audience.