Orpheus and Eurydice

¶ … Eurydice by Jean Anouilh [...] contrasting idealism and realism in two representative places in the story, and whether Eurydice is innocent or not. In Jean Anouilh's play "Eurydice," the themes of idealism, innocence, and realism all intertwine to form the backdrop for a startling group of players. The innocent and yet worldly Eurydice is the pivot point of the play, and of the underlying meaning the author is attempting to get across to his audience.

This tragic story shows how love can affect people, and bring out the best and worst in people. The play contrasts idealism and realism quite effectively. Idealism shows itself from the start, when the two characters fall in love with each other without knowing a thing about each other. Playwright Anouilh writes, "I'll never leave you.' 'Will you swear that?'" (Anouilh 66). These two do not know each other, and yet they already are pledging themselves to each other. This is the ultimate in idealism.

Here it is shown as young and innocent love that believes anything is possible. The two "children" have not lived enough to understand the difficulties and realism of life, and so, they believe their love is possible, which of course, it is not. Eurydice sees this dimly when she says, "D'you think you'll make me very unhappy?'" (Anouilh 66).

She says it almost as if she does not believe it, and yet, she is worldly enough to know that the idealism of youth is soon replaced by the reality of age, because she was ravaged young, and has lived a hard life. Orpheus embodies the innocence and idealism of the couple, because he will do anything to stay with Eurydice, even abandon his father and consort with the devil.

Orpheus is idealism personified, while Eurydice leans toward realism, because her life has actually been more difficult even than Orpheus' life. The realism in the play is apparent from the first, when Orpheus sees his life stretching before him in the endless duty of protecting his father. Here, Orpheus is a realist, but he becomes an idealist the moment he falls in love. Throughout the play, the older characters all talk about the difficulties and realities of life, and their pathetic lives illustrate the reality of the world.

One of the characters tells Orpheus, "You shouldn't believe too blindly in happiness. Particularly not when you belong to the good race. You're only laying up disappointments for yourself" (Anouilh 96). This is truly the ultimate in realism, for it is true of so many lives. Happiness is elusive, and some people never find it. Sadly, Orpheus and Eurydice only find it after death, so they suffer, and yet they are able to spend eternity together.

That is not reality, that is idealism in its' purest form, and that is the ultimate message that the author seems to be sending to his audience. Humankind may only find true happiness in death, as this passage at the end of the play indicates: "Will he be able to look at me?' 'Yes. Without ever being afraid of losing you'" (Anouilh 120).

Death is the final reality, just as it is the final reality in this play, and playwright Anouilh uses many tools throughout the work to weave reality, illusion, idealism, and innocence together in a strange cast of characters that are somehow believable and elusive at the same time. This begins as a light romance, and ends as a highly disturbing play that makes the reader really think about what just happened. Eurydice is portrayed as an innocent.

Her mother laments, "...she protects all the lame things in the world, God knows why - old cats, lost dogs, helpless drunkards'" (Anouilh 63). However, Eurydice is really worldly and not innocent at all, for she has lived a difficult life. She knows more about love than Orpheus does, but together, they form just the right combination of innocence and worldliness to make the reader believe they just might make it together.

Of course, the reality is they are doomed from the start, but that is clearer to Eurydice than it is to Orpheus, who still holds out hope for true happiness. Eurydice knows happiness is really not available, and that is why she leaves, and consistently says, "It's so difficult'" (Anouilh 85). Life is difficult, and if Orpheus refuses to recognize this, Eurydice does. She can live with the memories of her one happy day, but Orpheus cannot. In fact, he cannot live without Eurydice at all.

Orpheus is not wrongheaded about Eurydice - they are simply two different people. Orpheus is really the innocent and the idealist, while Eurydice is the realist. He loves her so completely that it does not matter to him how she looks, but Eurydice knows, and tells him "Yes, but perhaps you thought I was someone else. And when you see me as I am...'" (Anouilh 91).

Eurydice sees herself more clearly than Orpheus does, and so, she knows if they stay together, she will never live up to his worship and adoration. She is human, but Orpheus has put her on a pedestal. This does not make.