(Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision
This study aims to reconsider the Scottish poet Robert Henryson’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus in his Orpheus and Eurydice (c. 1470) as a late example of medieval dream vision genre. There are two prominent versions of the myth in the medieval world: The anonymous Breton lay Sir Orfeo (c. 1330-1...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Karadeniz Technical University
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Nalans |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://nalans.com/index.php/nalans/article/view/505 |
| _version_ | 1797921383823441920 |
|---|---|
| author | Seher Aktarer |
| author_facet | Seher Aktarer |
| author_sort | Seher Aktarer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to reconsider the Scottish poet Robert Henryson’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus in his Orpheus and Eurydice (c. 1470) as a late example of medieval dream vision genre. There are two prominent versions of the myth in the medieval world: The anonymous Breton lay Sir Orfeo (c. 1330-1340) and Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice. While Sir Orfeo abounds in romance elements, Henryson’s poem seems to be a dream poem with its extensive use of medieval allegory and several characteristics of the dream vision poetry. While the king in Sir Orfeo enjoys a happy ending, Henryson’s Orpheus cannot achieve bliss as he breaks his promise when he looks back to Eurydice, hence surrendering to worldly appetite. As a result, the poem ends with the disillusionment of Orpheus, who, however, learns from his mistake and is more mature and enlightened at the end of the poem. Like the dreamers in a typical medieval dream narrative, Orpheus goes through a journey in a vision and as a result of this experience, he is educated and spiritually transformed. In this light, the aim of this paper is to introduce Orpheus and Eurydice not as a romance but as a medieval dream poem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T14:15:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54ad86ed2ddd4293953020159b7231b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2148-4066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T14:15:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Karadeniz Technical University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nalans |
| spelling | doaj.art-54ad86ed2ddd4293953020159b7231b42023-02-15T16:09:33ZengKaradeniz Technical UniversityNalans2148-40662022-06-011019126137451(Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream VisionSeher Aktarer0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8890-3532Recep Tayyip Erdoğan UniversityThis study aims to reconsider the Scottish poet Robert Henryson’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus in his Orpheus and Eurydice (c. 1470) as a late example of medieval dream vision genre. There are two prominent versions of the myth in the medieval world: The anonymous Breton lay Sir Orfeo (c. 1330-1340) and Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice. While Sir Orfeo abounds in romance elements, Henryson’s poem seems to be a dream poem with its extensive use of medieval allegory and several characteristics of the dream vision poetry. While the king in Sir Orfeo enjoys a happy ending, Henryson’s Orpheus cannot achieve bliss as he breaks his promise when he looks back to Eurydice, hence surrendering to worldly appetite. As a result, the poem ends with the disillusionment of Orpheus, who, however, learns from his mistake and is more mature and enlightened at the end of the poem. Like the dreamers in a typical medieval dream narrative, Orpheus goes through a journey in a vision and as a result of this experience, he is educated and spiritually transformed. In this light, the aim of this paper is to introduce Orpheus and Eurydice not as a romance but as a medieval dream poem.https://nalans.com/index.php/nalans/article/view/505robert henrysonthe myth of orpheusorpheus and eurydicesir orfeomedieval dream visionromance |
| spellingShingle | Seher Aktarer (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision Nalans robert henryson the myth of orpheus orpheus and eurydice sir orfeo medieval dream vision romance |
| title | (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision |
| title_full | (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision |
| title_fullStr | (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision |
| title_full_unstemmed | (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision |
| title_short | (Re)considering Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice as a Dream Vision |
| title_sort | re considering robert henryson s orpheus and eurydice as a dream vision |
| topic | robert henryson the myth of orpheus orpheus and eurydice sir orfeo medieval dream vision romance |
| url | https://nalans.com/index.php/nalans/article/view/505 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT seheraktarer reconsideringroberthenrysonsorpheusandeurydiceasadreamvision |