Orpheus: A Poetic Drama is a play in verse written by the philosopher Owen Barfield, and is a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Originally written in 1937, it was published almost 50 years later in 1983.
Drawing from Virgil's account of the famous tale, the play follows not only Orpheus and Eurydice, but also Hades and Persephone, who rule an Underworld where lifeless routine is everything—and easily threatened by new arrivals like the water nymph Eurydice. Aristaeus, the beekeeper whose amorous advances towards Eurydice caused her death, is also a major factor in the plot as he strives to learn why his bees are mysteriously dying. Meanwhile, after gathering courage and musical inspiration from the animals, Orpheus heads down to Hades to retrieve his wife from the land of the dead with the power of song.
The play is now in the public domain and can be read for free here
.
This play contains examples of:
- Adaptation Expansion: Virgil's account of the myth was fairly short, started with Orpheus and Eurydice already in love, and only had Persephone hear Orpheus out, as the point of the story was to explain to Aristaeus why his bees were dying. In the play, Hades appears alongside Persephone, how Orpheus and Eurydice met is explored, and focus is given to how Hades runs his Underworld and why he sees Orpheus's intrusion as dangerous.
- Adaptation Species Change: Eurydice is traditionally a dryad, or tree nymph, in the myths, while here she's a nereid, or water nymph.
- Adaptational Villainy: This Hades keeps his subjects placated with mindless work and tries to force the doors to Elysium closed, is intent on chaining and judging Eurydice with other condemned souls, and sends Ascalaphus to ruin Orpheus's rescue attempt.
- Animal Espionage: Ascalaphus was turned into a screech owl and functions as Hades' spy in the Underworld.
- Bee Afraid: Hades is not happy that bees are tearing down the barriers between worlds, and frequently tries to stop them getting in.
- Big Brother Is Watching: When Hades leaves to calm Cerberus, he warns the working shades via amplifier that his eyes and ears are everywhere.
- Bittersweet Ending: While Orpheus failed his quest and was torn apart by angry Maenads, the ending implies that he and Eurydice are reunited in paradise together despite Hades' protests, and Aristaeus' bees are restored to him.
- Deep Sleep: After her death by snake bite and subsequent Underworld arrival, Eurydice is in a state of sleep that Hades is unable to wake her from. Orpheus's music does the trick.
- Don't Look Back: Hades gives the usual conditions for Orpheus to not look back after Persephone pleads for leniency, but he sends a spy to ensure Orpheus fails and turns around.
- Emotions vs. Stoicism: A theme throughout the work is finding a balance between emotion and reason, as Orpheus laments his heart changing directions too often to guide him, while Hades' unwavering reason causes his subjects anguish.
- Everybody Hates Hades: Hades is portrayed as keeping his shades placated with mindless work and actively trying to close the gates to the paradise of Elysium, and also works to ensure Orpheus fails in his quest. He also argues with Persephone a lot.
- Fantastic Racism: Hades is suspicious of Eurydice, a water nymph, as others like her helped alert Demeter to Persephone's location back when he abducted her.
- The Ghost:
- Cerberus is represented by offstage howling, interrupting Hades' speeches and causing him to yell at the dog to calm him down.
- Heracles and his labors are frequently discussed by other characters who've had run-ins with him, but he never appears in person.
- Greek Chorus: A chorus commentates on events throughout the story and acts as several minor characters.
- Intellectual Animal: Orpheus gains musical inspiration and advice on what to do from the animals, who respect the cycle of life and advise him to appeal to Persephone for Eurydice's soul.
- Job Song: Hades extols the virtues of mindless labor in verse, and Underworld residents like Sisyphus, the Danaides, and Tantalus are eager to praise his wisdom.
- The Lady's Favour: Eurydice lends Orpheus her scarf when she leaves for a time. He isn't able to return it before she dies.
- Mythology Gag: While arguing with Hades, Persephone brings up the Heracles incident as proof that others, like her, can travel between the worlds. Hades refuses to discuss it.
- Rescued from the Underworld: Orpheus sets out to seek Persephone's aid in bringing back Eurydice from the dead, and while she's sympathetic to his cause and pleads for leniency, Hades holds the final word. Hades sends a spy to ensure he fails and turns around.
- Tempting Fate: Orpheus sings a snake to sleep and tells Eurydice that nothing will wake it except stepping on it. Thanks to Aristaeus, Eurydice does just that, is bitten, and dies.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When Aristaeus asks about his bees' whereabouts, Orpheus admits that the swarm may have passed by without him noticing, to which Aristaus wonders how that could possibly happen. (Orpheus admits to being lovestruck at the time and ignored everything around him.)
- Virtuous Bees: Aristaeus's bees, and others like them, can penetrate the gates of Elysium to pollinate the flowers, bringing life back to the dead and wisdom of the dead back to the living world.
- What Did I Do Last Night?: After drunkenly tearing Orpheus apart, the Maenads regret it upon waking and see it as an evil dream, following the animals in atonement.
- Women Are Wiser: Persephone is the snarky wife to Hades and is overall portrayed as much kinder and more respectable than her husband, who's struck with a hearty dose of Adaptational Villainy.
