Apollo Vs. Dionysius

Several discussions in our classes are closely related to the dualism and conflict between the rational and emotional dimensions of human beings. This topic has a great importance, especially when taking into account that it has been illustrated since thousands of years ago with the Greek Civilizations. The Greek mythology give birth to two different gods that would govern human’s ways of lives , Dionysius, god of wine, harvest, fertility, and madness, and Apollo, god of light and truth. It is important to note how Dionysius governs everything related to emotional factors while Apollo governs everything related to rational factors. The people were guided by Apollo throughout the year, as they worked in total obedience to their different activities of harvesting and planting. When spring came with the new crop of grapes, they made the Dionysiac festivals to thank him for providing them a good crop. In these festivals, which lasted two days and two nights, they drank, ate and danced insanely. In other words, they lost all notions and their most intimate identities were revealed. This is what is known as catharsis, when the revival is achieved, people forget their past and prejudices while releasing repressed emotions that cause stress and anxiety.
Nietzsche explained in one of his works that in the Greek world there is a contraposition, of origins and ends, between the art and the sculptor-which is the apollonian- and the non-figurative art of music – or Dionysius art. These two impulses, so different from each other, go hand in hand, next to each other, usually in stark contrast to each other. They stimulate each other to give birth to more and more vigorous fruits to perpetuate in them the antithesis of that fight in which the general term of art surpasses anything in appearance. Until the end, thanks to the miraculous intervention of the Hellenic metaphysics of will, these two impulses appear together. Eventually, the works of both Dionysian and Apollonian art produce what is called the Greek tragedy.
The reason of why I am taking about the Greek Civilization even if we talk in class about the Enlightment Era, is because I wanted to draw a parallel, and outstand that these problems that we are discussing nowadays have their origins in thousands of years ago.