Mythical Representations in Film and Television
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Above is a clip from an episode of the mini-series The Storyteller: Greek Myths, titled "Orpheus and Eurydice." The four episode mini-series, airing in 1990, was a spin-off of Jim Henson's original television show The Storyteller.
I have included this clip to show the differences between the original myth and this representation and to point out why some of these changes may have been necessary in the filmed adaptation. For example, in the episode, Orpheus plays two sort of wooden recorder/pipe instruments, rather than his trademark lyre. (An image of a lyre has been posted on the right.) It seems a shame to me that this major aspect of the myth has been changed, and the only explanation I can think of for the change is ease of use. It could be that the recorder instrument was used because it was an easier instrument for the actor to pretend to |
play. (Let's face it, it is much easier to blow into a pipe and move your fingers to look like you are actually playing than it would be to pluck the correct strings of a lyre.) Unfortunately, such details of myth would sometimes have to be sacrificed when adapted in film, television or even theatre.
A second major difference between this filmed adaptation and Virgil's original myth is that, in this scene, Hades is the one to invent the condition that Orpheus must not turn back to look at his wife. In Virgil's text, it is Hades' wife, Persephone, who creates this clause. This may have been altered to accentuate each character's traits in the television show, and thus evoke a certain reaction from the viewer towards each character. For example, the audience is positioned to see the sinister, cruel nature of Hades, and to perceive Persephone as an unhappy victim or prisoner of her husband. If Persephone were to then turn around and make this condition, inevitably making Orpheus' and Eurydice's predicament more tragic and destroying them both, the audience would struggle to keep this victimised view of her. Changes such as these have been made to make the story more appealing and feasible for the screen, giving the audience a clear idea of who they like and don't like (exactly as they would in any other film or TV show.) |