Orpheus and Eurydice Comparison
Orpheus and Eurydice Comparison
In my essay I’m comparing the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from the Myths and Their Meanings book by Max J. Herzberg and the website http://www.shmoop.com/orpheus-eurydice/summary.html. The two stories have the same basic premise. Orpheus, a legendary musician with a powerful lyre, is married to Eurydice who was an oak nymph and daughter to Apollo. This is a famous myth about love and how your decisions are often consequential. The wedding day between the two was supposed to be a very special day among the Gods, but it turned for the worse soon after. Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake and died, this left Orpheus sad, alone and desperate
The basic concepts of the myth are that after Orpheus’s new wife Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake she died and was taken to the Underworld. This tore Orpheus apart and he was left in agony. He made the decision to go down to the underworld and beg for Eurydice’s life back. Hades, feeling compassionate allowed Eurydice to go back to the over world with Orpheus, but there was an added stipulation. If at any time the two were leaving the Underworld Orpheus was to look back, then Eurydice would immediately be taken back to the land of the dead. They were almost out of the Underworld but Orpheus looked back before he realized what he was doing. As soon as it happened Eurydice disappeared and was brought back down to the Underworld. Orpheus was left to roam the world for the rest of his life just hoping and waiting for death to be brought upon him. It took a very long time but at last Orpheus died, and he was finally returned to his one true love Eurydice.
Although the basic story is the same in the two compared versions there are many differences. In the website version there was many differences from the Myths and Their Meanings version. On the website, on Orpheus and Eurydice’s wedding night Hymen the God of Marriage was the minister, but he refused to say any kind words or even smile
In my essay I’m comparing the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from the Myths and Their Meanings book by Max J. Herzberg and the website http://www.shmoop.com/orpheus-eurydice/summary.html. The two stories have the same basic premise. Orpheus, a legendary musician with a powerful lyre, is married to Eurydice who was an oak nymph and daughter to Apollo. This is a famous myth about love and how your decisions are often consequential. The wedding day between the two was supposed to be a very special day among the Gods, but it turned for the worse soon after. Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake and died, this left Orpheus sad, alone and desperate
The basic concepts of the myth are that after Orpheus’s new wife Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake she died and was taken to the Underworld. This tore Orpheus apart and he was left in agony. He made the decision to go down to the underworld and beg for Eurydice’s life back. Hades, feeling compassionate allowed Eurydice to go back to the over world with Orpheus, but there was an added stipulation. If at any time the two were leaving the Underworld Orpheus was to look back, then Eurydice would immediately be taken back to the land of the dead. They were almost out of the Underworld but Orpheus looked back before he realized what he was doing. As soon as it happened Eurydice disappeared and was brought back down to the Underworld. Orpheus was left to roam the world for the rest of his life just hoping and waiting for death to be brought upon him. It took a very long time but at last Orpheus died, and he was finally returned to his one true love Eurydice.
Although the basic story is the same in the two compared versions there are many differences. In the website version there was many differences from the Myths and Their Meanings version. On the website, on Orpheus and Eurydice’s wedding night Hymen the God of Marriage was the minister, but he refused to say any kind words or even smile