Eurydice

This play is a feminist re-presentation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Unlike in the myth, Eurydice is an energetic protagonist, as opposed to a passive recipient of male desire. Both Eurydice's descent into the underworld and her permanent separation from Orpheus are caused by her own actions. However, she causes the latter deliberately, knowing what the effect of her actions will be. The contrast between her accidental descent into the underworld and her deliberate separation from Orpheus shows how her personal autonomy increases throughout the play.

In the world above, she primarily defines herself as her husband's wife. In the underworld, she primarily defines herself as her father's daughter. The latter role allows her more self expression than the former does, but both restrict her ability to find her place in the world. Because she is a mythic character, she can represent “every woman” without...