Margaret Atwood Pride And Prejudice Essay

NAME: LORANNA LAING
DATE: October 25, 2010
SUBJECT: LITERATURES IN ENGLISH
AN ANALYSIS OF THE POEMS “ORPHEUS”AND “EURYDICE” BY MARGARET ATWOOD

The poems “ORPHEUS “and “EURYDICE” by Margaret Atwood speaks of the love shared by a Grecian
Male called Orpheus and his wife Eurydice. It tells the readers how Eurydice was manipulated into loving
Orpheus through his singing which was used to hypnotize both gods and man.The story then goes on to
Say that they were married soon after but before the marriage was consummated Eurydice was killed
By the viper of a snake, and was sent to the underworld [a place where life continues after death]to
Spend the rest of eternity there. It starts by telling of how Orpheus travelled to the underworld
in an
Effort to bring his wife back to life. To do this he will need to manipulate a god “PLUTO”, the king of the underworld himself. The poem “ORPHEUS (1)”and “EURYDICE” by Margaret Atwood gives us a glimpse of what
What the underworld is like. The title “ORPHEUS (1)”speaks of some sort of Greek mythology and tells
What The poem is supposed t be about .It tells that the stanzas which follow will be about a male
Grecian Therefore the readers will initially get the impression that the poem will be told from
Orpheus’ perspective, however, upon reading further you will realize that the poem is not being told from his perspective but from that of Eurydice the love of his life’s perspective. The numerical value of
One which can be seen in the title shows that this poem is just the beginning therefore makes the
Readers aware that there is much more to come. However in contrast the title ‘Eurydice’ speaks of a female Grecian who is the wife of
Orpheus and probably the love of his life. As in the case of the poem ‘Orpheus’, one would think that the
Poem would be told in Orpheus’s perspective but upon further readings the reader will realize that the
Story being told by the speaker is biased and intensely corrupted as it is being told from both point of
Views.
The poem ‘Eurydice’ is a continuation of ‘Orpheus [1]’ and yet you realize after reading both
Poems that the story is not yet finished. Both poems are considered to be written as free verse suggesting that they have no specific
Rhyming scheme hence it hints that the poet is moving away from the norm. This poem consists of
Stanzas such as: quatrains, quintets, sestets and octave. Similar themes can be found in both poems. The theme of death can be seen in ‘Orpheus’ ‘’Grown fangs and killed me.”Line four .
In this line she tells how she had died because a snake had bitten her. It is also seen in line seven. ‘Gone to sleep…’
In the second stanza sleep is used in such a way that it speaks of Eurydice being dead. Since Eurydice
Had died twice it is no wonder that death is also being linked in the poem ‘Eurydice’ as well ‘You left your body cooling and whitening on the lawn.’ Female subjugation is also demonstrated in both poems. In ‘Orpheus this is seen in stanza four. ‘Before your eyes …the image of what you wanted…it was this hope of yours that kept me
following.’ This tells the readers that although Eurydice didn’t want to leave the underworld with Orpheus
That she still followed him on his journey back to his time because it was what Orpheus wanted, hence
Telling the reader that she wanted to please him. Then in Eurydice it is seen in the sexual connotation. ‘He wants to feel himself thickening like a tree trunk or a haunch … he can’t do if you aren’t
There.
Suggesting that she is being sexually objective and that the love they have might not be an
Unconditional love. Love is a major theme in the poems. In Orpheus this is seen when Eurydice speaks of the leash
Orpheus has on her. “Love you might call it”
Thus she gives the impression that he uses his love for her as way of saying that he owns and controls
Her life. In linking Orpheus with Eurydice their so called love can be seen in more cases than one. It is
Used when the speaker is talking to Eurydice and is telling her why Orpheus is singing to her. “Because he loves you”
Hence he is telling her that the reason he is manipulating her is because he loves her .In doing this
He tries to soften the hurt she feels in knowing that she is being manipulated by him once again. Freedom is anther theme which can be seen throughout the story being told in the two
Poems. It is displayed in the poem every time death and her spirit is spoken of in the poems
This is in fact being spoken of in every stanza of the poem.
Being dead suggested that you are now free
Of emotions such as pain, sorrow, or grief. That person is no longer tired, thirsty or hungry. They are no
Longer in the bondage of life as Eurydice explains in stanza four when she speaks of, “Living again.”
The way this phrase is said makes the reader think that Eurydice has been enslaved by the world or even
Orpheus as seen in stanza three, “You had your old leash.” line fourteen
Therefore indicating to the readers that she is owned and controlled by her husband. She is like a slave
Or some form of possession to him all because of a simple emotion called love. Enslavement is also seen in “Orpheus (1)”line eleven “Like a rope”
In which the rope there signifies captivity, she is considered as being tied to Orpheus .This rope may also
Mean that she is being tamed or trained to be submissive and in a sense this is what becoming human
Again means to her.in Orpheus this is seen in stanza six “Already new skin was forming on me.”
In linking the same can be seen in
“Eurydice”, “He wants her to be what he calls real.” Lines thirty to thirty-one
To become human again would mean letting go of her freedom and becoming submissive to man once
More.
There is also appearance vs. reality as a theme in the poem. Appearance in the sense that in stanza
One it seemed that Eurydice was willingly leaving the underworld even though she was being force
And that and that she in away is that she would get a chance to live again but the reality is that she
Never wanted to at any point in in time and is quite happy that he failed in his mission to take her back
Out of the underworld and into the world of the living. This can be seen in lines thirty-five to thirty-
Thirty-six stanzas seven. The many symbols found in the poems are: silence which speaks of death and in a sense peace.
Serpent which represents evil in sense that it was the evil that had taken the life of Eurydice and caused
Her to be in the underworld at that point in time it also speaks of some form of deceit. Whisper which is
Anything that would seem substance less to Eurydice. The rope which shows length and distance as
Well as captivity. Leash speaks of ownership and control. Flesh voice tells of humanity. Colours are also
Used in representing specific things. White is used when speaking of the submissive nature of women as
Well as the spiritual sinister. While black and grey tells the readers of death, grief, and suffering. Echo
Represents the extension of a person and last but not least moth represents a contrasting image of
Eurydice as moths generally head for light but instead Eurydice wants go back into the darkness. The devices used in the poems are: simile as seen in “Orpheus (1)”stanza two, “Like an arm gone to sleep”
And in stanza three, “Like a whisper, like a rope.”
And in stanza seven “Like a grey moth.”
Hence telling the readers how Eurydice felt about going back with Orpheus. In “EURYDICE” oxymorons
Can be found in stanza one “Joy and suffering”
Then in stanza five, “Moving and still.”
Thus her reluctance in returning with him is seen. To conclude, the poems speak of man’s manipulative nature. They will do whatever it takes to get what they want not caring who they hurt along the way even the ones they claim to “love.”