Parallels in the Orpheus Myth and Conrad's The Secret Sharer
The myth of Orpheus and his descent into the underworld is paralleled in Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Sharer," revealing a common theme, the narrator's self-fulfillment through the conclusion of his symbolic and inward quest. This parallel, which may be called archetypal, serves to increase the reader's sense of identification with Conrad's narrator, and it lends an otherworldly tone to the work as a whole. Likewise, these echoes of Orphic material lead the reader through three stages. These are a modern and secular rendition of the descent into the unknown, followed by a symbolic rebirth or rejoining of the fractured portions of the complete self, and finally the parting with the previous 'self' that ostensibly existed in the initial state.
The reader finds an initial parallel between the myth and story through Conrad's 'sea,' as compared to Orpheus' 'underworld,' along with the surface of the quest motif. The ship in "The Secret Share" is described as "at the starting point of a long journey" (Conrad 273), and as being "very still in an immense stillness.... [where] nothing moved, [and] nothing lived" (273). I read the stillness of the sea and the absence of life is an allusion to the stillness of death, which is the realm Orpheus takes his journey to, before turning homeward. Moreover, the stars are described in this opening scene, but do not reappear in the story until after the departure of 'the secret sharer'; the narrator's Euridice or hidden self (this hidden self aspect closely reflects the 'double' nature of the 'sharer' as well). Between these two appearances of the stars, which could only visible in an 'overworld,' the ship and its crew as consumed by "the tide of darkness" (273) that encompasses the vessel, much as Orpheus leaves behind the stars when he descends into the realm of death in Hades.
On a symbolic level, both the Orpheus myth and "The Secret Sharer" use the journey as a rite of passage, or a rebirth into a greater state of self-knowledge. Orpheus comes to know the reality of death and the limitations of his powers, while Conrad's narrator makes a transition from "being a stranger to the ship..., untried as yet by a position of the fullest responsibility" (273) such that "the comfort of quiet communion... was gone for good" (273), to "the perfect communion of a sea with his first command" (113; italics mine).
For example, Corrigan said, “Sometimes he claimed the scar along his thigh indicated he was actually the biblical figure of Jacob. Jacob, the brother of Esau? Jacob, who wrestled God’s angel and lived” (80). Corrigan, in this excerpt from the novel, alluded to the bible story in Genesis. One who knows the story of Jacob and Esau would be able to make connections between those from that story and the characters in the book. This biblical allusion caused some readers to be able to make deeper connections in the novel but yet does not hinder the understanding of someone who does not recognize the reference. Corrigan also wrote, “You so easily remember the times I was Eurydice, when the ward’s locked door slid closed between us. Do not forget I also have been Orpheus, on my knees in the boat, asking all the devils for your face in the trees” (100). This allusion to Greek mythology aided the reader in understanding one of Corrigan’s central themes in her novel. In the story Orpheus was a poet who was able to entrance enemies with his singing and lyre playing. After his wife, Eurydice, was killed, he traveled to the underworld to rescue her. Corrigan writes that she and Danny took turns being both Eurydice and Orpheus in that one was doing the rescuing and one was being rescued. They were there for each other through their troubles and
...he realisation of an aberrant knowledge, a painful truth. The closely relative journeys of Santiago and Orpheus are equally linked in abject failure, however are far more closely bound by the fact that both of them were enriched from loss. They both received a victory from defeat.
In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, there is a deception where readers think one thing, but are presented with a different point of view. They are profoundly similar for various reasons regarding structure and theme. They are complementary in establishing the primary conflict of drama during the storyline; however, Oedipus Rex encompasses foreshadowing that divulges drama from past experiences. Additionally, the authors incorporate violence as a key component in the conflict presented. However, the drama differs in plot, as well as symbolism, in which the reader understands it before or amid the story through gradual discovery. The themes and presentation of these dramatic plots are initially compelling, distinctive,
look at the apparatus”). In this respect, the message of the Orphic myth is similarly the
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is one that has been passed down through generations for thousands of years. Almost every generation has heard a rendition of how Orpheus and Eurydice fall in love with one another and are eventually parted by death. I say rendition because this myth is passed on by word of mouth, which in return causes the story to change depending on the story teller. This may also have a great deal to do with the different interpretation people form about the story. Black Orpheus, directed by Marcel Camus in 1959, is an interpretation or modern rendition of the Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice. Although this film does not adapt the literal meaning of the Greek myth in every scene, I do believe that many scenes adopt the symbolic nature of the film, particularly the decent to the underworld.
The development of the Western genre originally had its beginnings in biographies of frontiersmen and novels written about the western frontier in the late 1800’s based on myth and Manifest Destiny. When the film industry decided to turn its lenses onto the cowboy in 1903 with The Great Train Robbery there was a plethora of literature on the subject both in non-fiction and fiction. The Western also found roots in the ‘Wild West’ stage productions and rodeos of the time. Within the early areas of American literature and stage productions the legend and fear of the west being a savage untamed wilderness was set in the minds of the American people. The productions and rodeos added action and frivolity to the Western film genre.
Most film scholars believe the first Western to be ‘Cripple Creek Bar Room’ (W. Dickson’s 1898 tableau). To understand the origin of the Western, one must realise that the genre did not spring to life in full maturity. Its growth stemmed from various roots including Arthurian legends, oral tradition shared through generations, and frontier tales that essentially developed into folk-lore. The dime novels of the 1860s and onwards, pre-dated the advent of movies by one generation.
The characters in the movie, Black Orpheus, are significantly altered from the Greek myth. In the myth, Orpheus and Eurydice are together from the beginning and are completely in love. Everyone is happy for their love and the only thing that stands in their way is death. In the movie, however, this is notably changed. Orpheus begins as a streetcar conductor that was engaged to Mira, giving the idea that Orpheus was in love with another woman. We quickly see that this is not the case as Orpheus is always very curt and rude with his fiancée. They are slated to get married, but there is an eerie feeling in the air that something is about to go wrong.
Mary arrived at the room where she was to be hung, and all preparations for her execution were taken care of. Queen Elizabeth soon arrived in a rather casual manner. As the final steps were carried out, the various people around her offered her many options, such as ministers to offer her comfort, all of which Mary refused. Just before her death, Mary prayed for Britain and Scotland to convert to Catholicism. The executioners then began to remove her veil, head dress, and various other ornaments, while Mary attempted to fight back, wanting to wear these during her execution, however she was forced to remove them. Finally, after much preparation, Mary was dead.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness ; And, The Secret Sharer. New York: Signet Classic, 1997. Print.
The greatest realization faced by a character is that of Oedipus who for many years has come to terms with his situation. The Prophet Apollo’s predictions that he will kill his father and have sex with his mother. The course of his life is shaped by this prophecy. What Oedipus has been told from the beginning of his life shaped his thinking, this also allows the reader to grasp that this myth is relevant to their lives. The physical actions of Oedipus are the results of a man with high principles and probing intelligence. The story can be separated into points where Oedipus gathers more information about himself. The “ignorance” that Oedipus faces is the foundation he was brought up by. He has believed that he lived with his birth mother and father and therefore when he learns of Apollo’s prophecy he leaves home so that it cannot come true. Slowly as the story progresses Oedipus discovers bits and pieces of his true-life story, as Oedipus learns that he killed Laius by the story of the shepherd. He continues on his journey to discovering the truth. When he pieces together what he has done he cannot face himself. The chorus best shows his true emotions
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Orpheus (Greek Mythology)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
For theft, the person would have to pay fines, do extra work or have a hand cut off. Women Gossip would have to be publicly humiliated and would have to wear a scold bridle for a couple hours. The punishment for high treason was to be drawn (attached to a wooden panel and dragged by a horse) , hanged (taken off before the person dies) than quartered (cut into quarters while still alive), as gruesome as that sounds it did happen, I am thankful that we do not still do this because it is an evil slowly but extremely painful way to kill someone. The crime of heresy also was addressed to court and had a couple of punishment, one being the thumbscrew which broke fingers, elbows, knees and much more.
The death penalty was used frequently during the medieval times in Roman Britain to discourage the people from committing any types of crimes. Criminals were sentenced to death for committing a range of crimes, the most common being felonies including theft and murder. They were often put to death using a range of resources such as being hanged or beheaded. The criminals were punished so harshly to deter the people from committing any further crimes. Source 1 portrays a woman being beheaded, this could be because she stole something worth more than two days wages or has committed a murder. Her crime has been deemed serious enough that she has to be executed to be portrayed for others not to commit the same crime as she has or they will suffer the same fate. Wealthy people who are in a higher class who have committed similar or the same crimes would be exiled to another city, unless they had tried to go against the king in which case they would be executed. Over the years the death penalty has become much less common.
Beckoning readers closer, the gloomy foreboding of a mysterious darkness has typically been indicative of an antagonist or a horror that is to follow, and the glory of a shining light has signified a positive connotation. The pair is often utilized to express an author’s ideas and theme and Joseph Conrad uses the two paradigms liberally in his interpretation of European colonialism in Heart of Darkness. While Conrad employs the typical binary of light and darkness as positive and negative forces, respectively, he also challenges this notion by exposing the contradictions of misdeeds done in light and the portrayal of darkness as a sanctuary.