Reflections on the Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice Essay

Bobby HrickoMr. YasinskasEnglish II, 720 November 2012Reflections on the Myth of Orpheus and EurydiceThe myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is a tragic myth, was chosen for this essay not because of sentimental feelings for the popular conception of love present between Orpheus and Eurydice, but for the unique circumstances of the myth, the talent of Orpheus, the aspect of true love present, and the realistic conclusion of the story. (Core 21) (Core 4)The myth begins with the birth of Orpheus to Apollo, the god of the sun and music, and to the Muse Calliope, an inspirer of the arts. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Orpheus was a wonderful musician. Whether he sang or played the lyre, his music was so powerful and beautiful that even trees and rocks were influenced by it. One day he met a beautiful woman named Eurydice, and after a period of courting they realized that they loved each other very much, and became married. It was predicted, however, that their marriage would not last. This held true when Eurydice was fatally bitten by a snake in the woods while fleeing from Aristaeus, a shepherd who wanted her as his wife. Orpheus was extremely distraught, and wandered the earth for a long time before attempting to visit the Underworld in order to bring Eurydice back. His music was so sad and powerful that it enabled him to get past Cerberus, the dog guarding the Underworld, and also to persuade Hades to let Eurydice go. The condition was that Orpheus could not look at Eurydice until they reached the upper world. This was quickly met, of course, and they started out. Orpheus looked, however, whether by accident or distrust is uncertain, and Eurydice returned to the Underworld forever. Orpheus was absolutely devastated, and though he tried, he was unable to reach the Underworld again. He broke off contact with humans completely, and wandered in the wilderness singing mournfully. He...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Character Analysis of Basil Hallward in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Novel by Oscar Wilde Essay

The main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, is a man too easily influenced by his surroundings. He is quoted as saying, Basil Hallward is what I think I am Lord Henry is what the world thinks me Dorian is what I would like to bein other ages, perhaps (Wilde). This comparison falls in line with the moral of the story because Dorian is stuck with eternal youth and beauty even though he has a wicked soul. This causes different views of him by people who observe his daily life. Dorian is a sponge throughout the novel that absorbs everything and allows it to shape his personality, morals, and actions. Dorian Gray takes influence from Lord Henry, Basil Hallward, and the culture of society during which the novel was written. Lord Henry is the epitome of a wealthy, hedonistic gentleman seeking only pleasure, with little regard to cost or consequence. Lord Henry Wotton outwardly propounds hedonism, but it is his extreme egotism that drives him to manipulate both Basil Hallward a
Read more

Religious Symbolism in The Blessed Damozel, a Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay

Dante Gabriel Rossettis poem The Blessed Damozel is full of religious symbolism. There is talk of saints, and the poem itself takes place in heaven. But underneath the religious symbolism is a deep sensuality, that makes one wonder if the white rose of Marys gift referred to in line nine is the gift of Mary the Virgin, or the somewhat less virginal Mary Magdalene. While the Damozel is in heaven, her appearance in heaven, her behaviors in life, and what happens when she and her lover are reunited suggest some less than virginal dealings, yet the damozel is blessed and resides in heaven. Rossetti was the child of liberals kicked out of Italy a heavily catholic country for their extreme political views. While Rossetti himself was not political, he may have espoused similar views regarding politics and religion as his parents. In the poem The Blessed Damozel, Rossetti was given the chance to essentially create his own heaven. Most everything he wrote seems to show that Rossetti espoused
Read more

An Analysis of the Character of Chichikov in the Poem, Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol Essay

Dead Souls takes place in the Russia of the late 1800s, where, unlike in America, one must be born into a prosperous family in order to have opportunities. The main character, Chichikov, is clever enough to develop a scheme in which he can rise from being a petty clerk to a respected landowner. In order to do this, Chichikov moves into a new town, pretending to already be a landowner, and begins a quest to buy the names of dead serfs who have not yet been officially reported dead. Each person that Chichkov presents this offer to has a different reaction, starting with the shy and introverted Manilov. Though he does not understand Chichikov's need for the names of these dead serfs, Manilov is a character that is so desperate for company that it does not take any effort to trick him into selling his dead souls cheaply. However, as Chichikov continues his journey, he starts to deal with more clever landowners who become suspicious of his scheme. Chichikov finds that the townsmen know
Read more