This dissertation traces the course of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in classical and later Western literature. Three particulars about myth serve to unify the discussion: myth evolves in literature; its meaning changes through the ages; some myths evolve art-forms in which to express themselves. Myth evolves in literature: Chapter I examines the twenty-one references to or treatments of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in Greek and Roman authors, and attempts to show that the traditional story of Orpheus' backward glance and the second loss of Eurydice is a Hellenistic development of a story originally connected with Orphic mysteries. The fully developed myth is seen to combine elements of myth, legend and folklore. The meaning of myth changes through the ages: in the classical period (Chapter II), the separate themes in the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, themes of death, music and love (stemming from the mythical, legendary and folk elements, respectively), are stated in the Culex; but Orpheus for this age is primarily a great civilizing influence, and this is the context in which Virgil places him in the Georgics. In the Middle Ages (Chapter III), the myth is allegorized in Boethius and romanticized in the Middle English poem Sir Orfeo. In the Renaissance (Chapter IV), Orpheus is once more a symbol of the civilizing force, and the descent to Hades, though often alluded to, is less important than other myths in the Orpheus-cycle. The Orpheus bequeathed to literature by the opera (Chapter V) is more human and fallible, and in the Romantic age (Chapter VI) this figure is gradually fused with the mystical Orphic poet, so that the contemporary Orpheus of Rilke and Cocteau (Chapter VII) is again a symbol, but of man in his role of artist, seeking to communicate with another world. Myth sometimes evolves art-forms in which to express itself; Politian's Orfeo, a secular subject which used music to tell its story, is seen to be the forerunner of the opera (Chapter IV); later, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice evolved the opera, in the works of the Florentine Camerata and Monteverdi, and served as the pattern for its reform, in Gluck (Chapter V). While the myth has meant something different to every age, there is a uniformity in its tradition: poets have always availed themselves of one or more of its three themes - the victory of death over life, the civilizing power of music, the problem of human emotion and its control. / Arts, Faculty of / Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Department of / Graduate

Inaug.-Diss.--Heidelberg. / Vita. Bibliography: p. [143]-145. Also issued in print.

Inaug.-Diss.--Heidelberg. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: p. [143]-145.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bochum, 2003/2004.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / I. PROBLEM: To construct three units in mythology, Greek, Norse and Hindu, in order to increase students' awareness of the nature of literature and of the influence of these three cultures as represented in their mythologies on English language and literature. II. SCOPE AND LIMITATION: The units were designed for use in the junior high school in the following sequence: Seventh year - Greek Eighth year - Norse Ninth year - Hindu to obtain the benefit of cumulative effect upon the learnings. Each section however, is a complete unit and can be used independently of the others. The units are not all inclusive, but the selection of materials in each unit is such that a logical framework is imposed. The units make no provision for formal instruction in language. The units are untested. III. PROCEDURE: The units were designed for use in a team teaching situation. Each unit is introduced with a lecture to the entire' group for the purpose of providing background information, motivational aids and distributing materials. Groups then read and discuss the various creation stories around certain themes in their separate classrooms. The activities are discussed and groups are formed according to three activity sections each under the direction of a different teacher, one for reading, one for writing, and one for oral activities. IV. MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The "classical" literatures contain materials appropriate to the reading interests and abilities of junior high school students and by arranging this material in units the teacher has an opportunity to guide students toward realizing the goals of the English language arts. V. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY: The writer recommends that these materials be tested both in independent and sequential units and in both traditional teaching and team-teaching situations for the purpose of evaluation and revision. The writer also suggests that similar materials be constructed from the biblical, classical, and medieval epics. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Proefschrift--Utrecht. / Thesis note on t.p., and preface in Dutch. "Stellingen": [2] p. laid in.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-199). Also available on the Internet.

Proefschrift--Amsterdam. / Summary in French. "Lijst van geraadpleegde literatuur": p. [141]-146.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-248). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.