Once upon a time, there was a perfect wedding that everyone admired. The groom was Orpheus, known as the greatest poet and musician ever. The bride was Eurydice, a beautiful wood nymph. Their love was evident to all who saw them. But suddenly, tragedy struck. Eurydice stumbled and fell, bitten by a snake. By the time Orpheus reached her, she was gone, and the snake slithered away into the grass.
Devastated by Eurydice’s death, Orpheus was overwhelmed with grief. He decided to do the impossible: journey to the land of the dead to bring her back. No living being had ever returned from there, but Orpheus was determined. When he reached the gates of the underworld, he played his lyre, a stringed musical instrument. His music was so enchanting that Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the dead, let him pass. Even Charon, the ferryman who charged souls to cross the River Styx, was so moved that he ferried Orpheus across for free.
In the palace of Hades and Persephone, the rulers of the underworld, Orpheus sang a heartfelt song. He sang of his deep love for Eurydice and how she was taken too soon. He begged Hades to let her return to the living world for a few more years. After he finished, there was a profound silence. Even the Furies, goddesses of vengeance, were moved to tears.
Hades and Persephone agreed to Orpheus’s request, but with one condition: as he left the underworld, he must not look back to see if Eurydice was following him. If he did, she would be lost to him forever.
Orpheus began his ascent back to the world of the living. With each step, he grew more anxious about whether Eurydice was truly behind him. He heard nothing—no footsteps, no sign of her presence. Just before stepping into the daylight, he succumbed to his doubts and turned around. In that moment, Eurydice vanished back into the underworld, lost to him forever.
Heartbroken, Orpheus vowed never to love another. He spent his days singing about famous lovers. He sang of Ganymede, the beautiful boy who became the cupbearer to the gods, and Myrrah, who was punished for loving her father. He sang of Pygmalion, who sculpted his perfect woman from ivory, and Venus, whose beloved Adonis was killed by a wild boar.
Orpheus’s songs were so moving that they revealed the joys and sorrows of love to everyone who heard them. However, not everyone was satisfied with just his poetry. A group of wild women called the Maenads couldn’t bear that Orpheus, who sang so beautifully of love, wouldn’t love them. In their jealousy, they destroyed him.
The world mourned the loss of Orpheus and Eurydice, two souls who loved each other deeply. Orpheus’s understanding of love’s pain and joy gave birth to a new art form: the love poem. Though the world wept, Orpheus found peace in the underworld, reunited with Eurydice. Together, they walk along the banks of the River Styx, sometimes side by side, sometimes with Eurydice leading, and sometimes with Orpheus looking back at her as often as he wishes.
Using simple materials like cardboard, rubber bands, and glue, create your own version of Orpheus’s lyre. Decorate it to reflect the themes of love and tragedy from the myth. Once completed, share your creation with the class and explain how music played a crucial role in Orpheus’s journey.
Inspired by Orpheus’s legacy, write a love poem that captures the emotions of joy and sorrow. Use vivid imagery and emotions to convey the depth of Orpheus and Eurydice’s love. Share your poem with the class and discuss how poetry can express complex feelings.
In groups, reenact the scene where Orpheus pleads with Hades and Persephone. Assign roles and use dialogue to bring the story to life. Focus on the emotions and motivations of each character. After the performance, discuss how each character’s actions impacted the outcome of the story.
Divide into two groups and debate whether Orpheus should have looked back at Eurydice. One group will argue in favor of his decision, while the other will argue against it. Use evidence from the myth to support your arguments. Conclude with a class discussion on the themes of trust and doubt.
Illustrate the key events of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in a comic strip format. Focus on the emotional highs and lows of the story. Use captions and dialogue to enhance the narrative. Display your comic strip in the classroom and discuss how visual storytelling can convey complex themes.
It was the perfect wedding, the guests thought. The groom was Orpheus, the greatest of all poets and musicians. The bride, Eurydice, was a wood nymph. Anyone could tell the couple was truly and deeply in love. Suddenly, Eurydice stumbled and fell to the ground. By the time Orpheus reached her side, she was gone, and the snake that had bitten her was slithering away through the grass.
Following Eurydice’s funeral, Orpheus was overcome with grief that the human world could not contain. He decided to journey to the land of the dead, a place from which no living creature had ever returned, to rescue his beloved. When Orpheus reached the gates of the underworld, he began to strum his lyre. The music was so beautiful that Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guards the dead, lay down as Orpheus passed. Charon, the ferry captain who charged dead souls to cross the River Styx, was so moved by the music that he brought Orpheus across free of charge.
When Orpheus entered the palace of Hades and Persephone, the king and queen of the dead, he began to sing. He sang of his love for Eurydice and expressed that she had been taken away too soon. He pleaded for Hades to grant her just a few more years on Earth. In the moment after Orpheus finished, all was silent. Even the Furies, the goddesses of vengeance, wept.
Hades and Persephone granted Orpheus’s plea, but on one condition: as he climbed back out of the underworld, he must not turn around to see if Eurydice was following him. If he did, she would return to the land of the dead forever. Orpheus began to climb. With each step, he worried more and more about whether Eurydice was behind him. He heard nothing—where were her footsteps? Finally, just before he stepped out of the underworld and into the bright light of day, he gave in to temptation. Orpheus turned to look for her, but was refused entry back into the underworld.
Separated from Eurydice, Orpheus swore never to love another woman again. Instead, he sat in a grove of trees and sang songs of lovers. There was Ganymede, the beautiful boy who Zeus made drink-bearer to the gods. There was Myrrah, who loved her father and was punished for it, and Pygmalion, who sculpted his ideal woman out of ivory and prayed to Venus until she came to life. And there was Venus herself, whose beautiful Adonis was killed by a wild boar.
It was as if Orpheus’s own love and loss had allowed him to see into the hearts of gods and people everywhere. For some, however, poetry was not enough. A group of wild women called the Maenads could not bear the thought that a poet who sang so beautifully of love would not love them. Their jealousy drove them to a frenzy, and they destroyed poor Orpheus. The birds, nature’s singers, mourned Orpheus, as did the rivers, who made music as they babbled.
The world had lost two great souls. Orpheus and Eurydice had loved each other so deeply that when they were separated, Orpheus understood the pain and joys of lovers everywhere, and a new art form, the love poem, was born. While the world wept, Orpheus found peace with his other half in the underworld. There, to this day, he walks with Eurydice along the banks of the River Styx. Sometimes, they stroll side by side; sometimes, she is in front; and sometimes, he takes the lead, turning to look back at her as often as he likes.
Myth – A traditional story, often involving supernatural beings or events, that explains a cultural belief or practice. – In literature class, we studied the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, which explores themes of love and loss.
Love – A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and care towards a person or thing. – Shakespeare’s plays often explore the complexities of love, as seen in the passionate relationship between Romeo and Juliet.
Journey – An act of traveling from one place to another, often used as a metaphor for personal growth or discovery in literature. – In “The Hobbit,” Bilbo Baggins embarks on a journey that transforms him from a timid hobbit into a brave adventurer.
Underworld – A mythical realm of the dead, often depicted as a place beneath the earth in literature and mythology. – In Greek mythology, the underworld is ruled by Hades and is the final destination for souls after death.
Music – An art form consisting of sound and silence, often used in literature to enhance mood or symbolize themes. – In “The Phantom of the Opera,” music plays a central role in expressing the characters’ emotions and desires.
Poet – A person who writes poems, often using expressive language and imagery to convey emotions and ideas. – Emily Dickinson is a renowned poet whose work captures the beauty and complexity of human emotions.
Tragedy – A dramatic work that presents the downfall of a character, often evoking pity or fear. – The play “Macbeth” is a tragedy that explores the destructive power of ambition and guilt.
Legacy – Something handed down from the past, such as cultural achievements or traditions, often explored in literature. – The legacy of ancient Greek literature continues to influence modern storytelling and drama.
Heartbroken – Overwhelmed by sorrow or grief, often due to a loss or disappointment. – In “Wuthering Heights,” Heathcliff is heartbroken after the death of his beloved Catherine.
Poem – A piece of writing that expresses emotions, experiences, or ideas, often using a distinctive style and rhythm. – Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” reflects on the choices we make in life and their consequences.
