Take a look at this short poem:
Orpheus by Rod Wooden
They had almost reached light.
And as he walked, a space
was left behind in the air
like a keyhole in a door
but him-shaped.
And the door of the air
was opening, opening so wide
he had to turn to close it.
Your turn: Choose one of the romance myths: Cupid & Psyche, Pyramus & Thisbe, Orpheus & Eurydice, Ceyx & Alcyone, Pygmalion & Galatea, Baucis & Philemon, Endymion, Daphne, and Alpheus & Arethusa. Choose a single moment in their story or tale. Write about this single moment in poem form. For those of you more advanced, use this single moment of the story as a METAPHOR for a contemporary poem. In other words, write a love poem or ode (a poem of praise) using the single moment of one of these myths as a way of deepening your theme about human love or devotion. Your speaker, setting, etc, would not have to be a repetition of the original myth in this case. You have 20 minutes to work on this exercise. Your poem should be lyrical, aim to create imagery.
After 20 minutes (and the exercise) please wait for further instructions concerning archetypes and the myth project.
One benefit of learning mythology is that you are beginning to notice literary archetypes. When we include a romance in a story, we are including all the possible combinations of the romance. The Cupid & Psyche myth is found in the story of Cinderella, for example--or in the various Jane Austen and Bronte or Romance novels. A female hero falls in love, but cannot receive her love until she goes through some sort of trial or tribulation to show her dedication to the guy.
The myth of Pyramus & Thisbe is really Romeo & Juliet (and therefore West Side Story, among many others). Whenever the girl or guy dies or the lovers don't get each other at the end, we have to think of Pyramus and Thisbe in their unfortunate circumstances. The same goes for Euridice & Orpheus.
The Love Story Archetypical plot and the Sacrifice plot are similar and are the following:
• The protagonist falls in love with another character (the object of affection)
• There should always be an obstacle that prevents the object of affection from getting together romantically with the beloved
• The first attempt at romance is always thwarted or delayed and put off
• Characters are often caught up in their personal emotions and problems
• Lovers are tested by a series of problems or conflicts (often from the outside)
• If the love is "forbidden," then the characters also have to come to terms with the society or culture that is preventing them from being together
• Lovers will usually get together at the end of the plot (in forbidden love plots, however, usually they don't)
Sacrifice
• The sacrifice should come at a great personal cost
• Protagonist undergoes a major transformation during the course of the story, moving from a lower moral state to a higher moral state
• Events and rising action often forces the protagonist to decide how to act
• All events should be a reflection of your protagonist. Rising action is supposed to test and develop your main character.
• There is a strong moral dilemma at the center of the story
HOMEWORK: please read The Quest for the Golden Fleece & 4 Great Adventures (pg. 117-140) in your Mythology books. You should be familiar with these plots and characters.
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