Orpheus and Eurydice Summary

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Jenna O’Brien Unit 1 Orpheus and Eurydice Summary Orpheus was the son of a muse and mortal king. From birth he was destined to play great music. His music was so overwhelming that the whole world stopped to listen when he played his lyre. Orpheus fell in love with a wood nymph named Eurydice and asked her to marry him. The god of marriage, Hymen, was not auspicious with his words. He brought a curse upon the newlywed couple and shortly after the ceremony Eurydice was bitten by a snake. She died instantly and went to the underworld. Orpheus was so distraught at the loss of his dear love that he set out to find a way into the underworld to get his wife back. Once he found the opening to the underworld he used his lyre to convince the boatman to take him across the river that separated the living world from the world of the dead. Orpheus walked the tortuous journey through the many winding passages of the underworld. He finally found himself at the feet of Hades. He played his lyre and sang his heart felt song to Hades and his wife Persephone begging for the return of the love of his life. Tears flowed from the eyes of Hades as his wife Persephone whispered into his ear. Hades decided that just the one time he would allow Eurydice to return to the land of the living with her husband. There was one condition however, to go along with that decision. Orpheus must walk ahead of his love and he must not pause, he must not talk to her nor turn around to see her. Orpheus quickly agreed and the young couple began the long tortuous journey back out of the underworld. Orpheus had to fight the desire to turn around to make sure his love was still walking behind him. He tried to listen to hear her footsteps to make sure she was still there. As he broached the opening of living world he couldn’t wait any longer to see his wife. He turned around too

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