The play Eurydice, written by Sarah Ruhl, describes a modern take on the classic Greek myth following the life and death of the young woman mentioned in the title. No specific audience can be associated with this play, but if one had to be chosen, it is reasonable that teenagers, who are more likely to experience young and seemingly undeniable love, are targeted. This is because the main characters face the challenge of a forbidden love with little to no means of communication. Set across a span of years between the 20th and 21st centuries, the story begins with Orpheus, the male lead, asking for Eurydice’s hand in marriage. Shortly after, however, death claims poor Eurydice. As she lands in the underworld, a strange new place for the young …show more content…
“We speak in the language of the stones,” they tell her. Stones do not know certain words, like “love” or “father”. They do not have emotions. As Eurydice is being told how to live as a stone, her father arrives, recognizing her instantly but her, because she lost her memory to the River, has no inkling of memory about him. Orpheus, amidst all of this, continues to search for ways to reach his beloved Eurydice, including giving a letter to an earthworm in hopes that it will reach her beneath the Earth. Eurydice’s father helps her regain her memory, detail by detail, despite the stones constantly in the background, despising his attempts to recreate his relationship with his daughter. Eventually, Orpheus makes it to the Underworld, where he strikes a deal with Hades which states that if Orpheus can make it back to the land of the living without even once glancing back to check if his wife follows, he can have her back. If he fails, and turns around, Eurydice will remain dead. Along he travels, desperately hoping that he can trust the word of the lord of the dead. As the exit comes into view, Eurydice, realizing the man she walks behind, cries out, “Orpheus!” in happiness. Unfortunately, this causes Orpheus to turn around before exiting the Underworld, forcing Eurydice to return to the land of her father. Her