![]() ![]() He planned to jump out from his hiding spot as they passed, and to kill Orpheus. One day, he hid in the bushes and waited for the newlyweds to walk by. He despised Orpheus and was very determined. One of these men, Aristaeus, came up with a plan to make Eurydice his. Because of her great beauty, it wasn’t uncommon for other men to find Eurydice attractive and yearn for her. Unfortunately, fate had different plans for Eurydice and Orpheus. But as the day progressed, shadows loomed in the distance, seeming to foreshadow what the future held for the new couple. Their marriage was blessed by the god of marriage, Hymenaios, and the day began with sunshine that shone down on the happy festivities. They fell deeply in love and were unable to separate for even a moment. She was immediately drawn to him because of his infectious voice, and the two could not break their stares. During one of these sessions, he spotted the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He often entertained crowds with his lyre and melodious voice. In fact, he could even enchant inanimate objects. He could enchant any crowd, whether human or beast. It became obvious very quickly that his talent was going to take him far. Orpheus spent most of his childhood exploring and pursuing music and poetry. Without the other, their sole existence seems incomplete. Legends and StoriesĮurydice and Orpheus are the Greek versions of Romeo and Juliet. ![]() She died tragically young, and her lover literally went to the end of the world and back again to try and save her. She married Orpheus, a legendary poet and musician. It is only when Orpheus expresses his regret, and his desperation to be reunited with Eurydice even if that means travelling to Hadestown that Hermes softens to him again and agrees to help.Eurydice was a Greek nymph. When Orpheus appears, asking Hermes where Eurydice is, Hermes is curt and cold with him, ‘Why do you care? You’ll find another Muse somewhere?’. After Eurydice descends to the Underworld, Hades turns against Orpheus completely. Initially Hermes’ tone when talking about Orpheus is admiring and affectionate – ‘Orpheus was a poor boy, but he had a gift to give: he could make you see how the world could be… in spite of the way that it is.’ This changes as Orpheus continues to ignore Eurydice’s worries and Hermes becomes more stern and harsh with Orpheus, ordering him to ‘Look up!’. This is most apparent in Hermes’ relationship with Orpheus. Hades, for example, is consistently referred to in negative terms, while his wife Persephone is generally referred to positively. Similarly, Hermes’ reactions to the characters indicate how sympathetic they are in the narrative. Determined to get her back he follows her down, wins her freedom and, as in the original myth, loses it again, separating them both forever. When Orpheus returns, he learns that Eurydice has boarded a train to Hadestown. Orpheus is focused on his song and so does not notice as Eurydice grown more desperate. Shortly after they get together, winter returns and food grows scarce. His plans are stymied when he meets, falls in love with, and marries Eurydice. Orpheus is a young man with a musical gift, and plans to write a song so beautiful that it turns the world back the way it was. As a result of Hades and Persephone’s marital discord, spring and autumn have disappeared form the world, (‘ it’s either burning hot or freezing cold’) with Hades keeping Persephone with him longer and longer, and then collecting her earlier and earlier each year. Set in a world where the estrangement of Hades and Persephone has spilled into the mortal world, ‘Hadestown’ remains very close to the original legend, while adding to and developing the source material. ![]()
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