The myth of Orpheus. Orpheus and Eurydice

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The myth of Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice is one of the most famous love myths. No less interesting is this mysterious singer himself, about whom not much reliable information has been preserved. The myth of Orpheus, which we will talk about, is only one of the few legends dedicated to this character. There are also many legends and fairy tales about Orpheus.

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: a summary

In Thrace, located in northern Greece, lived, according to legend, this great singer. In translation, his name means "healing light." He had a wonderful gift for songs. His fame spread throughout the Greek land. Eurydice, a young beauty, fell in love with him for his beautiful songs and became his wife. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice begins with a description of these happy events.

However, the carefree happiness of the beloved was short-lived. The myth of Orpheus continues with the fact that one day the couple went to the forest. Orpheus sang and played the seven-stringed cithara. Eurydice began to pick flowers growing in the meadows.

AbductionEurydice

Suddenly the girl felt that someone was running after her through the forest. She was frightened and rushed to Orpheus, throwing flowers. The girl ran across the grass, not understanding the road, and suddenly fell into a snake's nest. A snake coiled around her leg and stung Eurydice. The girl screamed loudly in fear and pain. She fell onto the grass. Hearing the plaintive cry of his wife, Orpheus hurried to her aid. But he only managed to see how large black wings flickered between the trees. Death took the girl to the underworld. I wonder how the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice will continue, isn't it?

Orpheus' grief

The grief of the great singer was very great. After reading the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice, we learn that the young man left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests. In his songs, Orpheus poured out his longing. There was such strength in them that the trees that had come down from their places surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, stones moved closer, and birds left their nests. Everyone listened to how Orpheus yearned for his beloved girl.

Orpheus goes to the realm of the dead

Days passed, but the singer could not console himself. His sadness grew with each passing hour. Realizing that he could no longer live without his wife, he decided to go to the underworld of Hades in order to find her. Orpheus was looking for an entrance there for a long time. Finally, he found a stream in the deep cave of Tenara. It flowed into the river Styx, which is underground. Orpheus went down the stream bed and reached the banks of the Styx. The kingdom of the dead, which began beyond this river, opened to him. Deep and black were the waters of the Styx. Alivethe creature was afraid to step into them.

Hades gives Eurydice back

Orpheus went through many trials in this creepy place. Love helped him cope with everything. In the end, Orpheus reached the palace of Hades, the ruler of the underworld. He turned to him with a request to return Eurydice, a girl so young and beloved by him. Hades took pity on the singer and agreed to give him his wife. However, one condition had to be met: it was impossible to look at Eurydice until he brought her to the kingdom of the living. Orpheus made a promise that throughout the journey he would not turn around and look at his beloved. In case of violation of the ban, the singer was threatened with losing his wife forever.

Return trip

Orpheus quickly headed for the exit from the underworld. He passed the domain of Hades in the form of a spirit, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. The lovers got into the boat of Charon, who silently carried the spouses to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led to the ground. Orpheus slowly climbed up. The surroundings were quiet and dark. No one seemed to be following him.

Violation of the ban and its consequences

But it was getting brighter ahead, the exit to the ground was already close. And the shorter the distance to the exit, the lighter it became. Finally, it became clear to see everything around. Orpheus's heart tightened with anxiety. He began to doubt whether Eurydice was following him. Forgetting his promise, the singer turned around. For a moment, very close, he saw a beautiful face, a lovely shadow … The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice tells that this shadow immediately flew away,faded into darkness. Orpheus with a desperate cry began to descend the path back. He again came to the banks of the Styx and began to call the carrier. Orpheus pleaded in vain: no one answered. The singer sat alone for a long time on the banks of the Styx and waited. However, he never waited for anyone. He had to return to earth and continue to live. Forget Eurydice, his only love, he could not. The memory of her lived in his songs and in his heart. Eurydice is the divine soul of Orpheus. He will connect with her only after death.

This ends the myth of Orpheus. We will supplement its summary with an analysis of the main images presented in it.

Image of Orpheus

Orpheus is a mysterious image that is found in general in a number of Greek myths. This is a symbol of a musician who conquers the world with the power of sounds. He is able to move plants, animals and even stones, as well as to cause the gods of the underworld (underworld) compassion that is not characteristic of them. The image of Orpheus also symbolizes the overcoming of alienation.

This singer can be regarded as the personification of the power of art, which contributes to the transformation of chaos into a cosmos. Thanks to art, a world of harmony and causality, images and forms, that is, the "human world" is created.

Orpheus, unable to keep his love, has also become a symbol of human weakness. Because of her, he was unable to cross the fatal threshold and failed in his attempt to return Eurydice. This is a reminder that in life there istragic side.

The image of Orpheus is also considered the mythical personification of one secret teaching, according to which the planets move around the Sun, which is in the center of the Universe. The source of universal harmony and connection is the power of its attraction. And the rays emanating from it are the reason why particles move in the Universe.

Image of Eurydice

The myth of Orpheus is a legend in which the image of Eurydice is a symbol of oblivion and tacit knowledge. This is the idea of detachment and silent omniscience. In addition, it is correlated with the image of music, which Orpheus is looking for.

The Kingdom of Hades and the image of Lyra

The kingdom of Hades, depicted in the myth, is the kingdom of the dead, starting far in the west, where the sun plunges into the depths of the sea. This is how the idea of winter, darkness, death, night appears. The element of Hades is the earth, again taking its children to itself. However, the sprouts of new life lurk in her womb.

The image of Lyra is a magical element. With it, Orpheus touches the hearts of both people and gods.

Reflection of myth in literature, painting and music

For the first time this myth is mentioned in the writings of Publius Ovid Nason, the greatest Roman poet. "Metamorphoses" is a book that is his main work. In it, Ovid sets out about 250 myths about the transformations of the heroes and gods of ancient Greece.

The myth of Orpheus set forth by this author has attracted poets, composers and artists in all epochs and times. Almost all of his subjects are represented in the paintings of Tiepolo, Rubens, Corot andothers. Many operas were created based on this plot: "Orpheus" (1607, author - C. Monteverdi), "Orpheus in Hell" (operetta of 1858, written by J. Offenbach), "Orpheus" (1762, author - K. V. Glitch).

As for literature, in Europe in the 20-40s of the 20th century this topic was developed by J. Anouil, R. M. Rilke, P. J. Jouve, I. Gol, A. Gide and others. At the beginning of the 20th century, in Russian poetry, the motifs of myth were reflected in the work of M. Tsvetaeva ("Phaedra") and in the work of O. Mandelstam.