2. What do you think is the significance of the courtyard of death in this poem?
3. What is the significance of Orfeo's testing of the steward?
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About Me
- Dr. Rory Loughnane
- Dr. Rory Loughnane is the Visiting Asst. Professor of Early Modern Literature at Syracuse University. He completed his doctoral dissertation at Trinity College Dublin in June 2009 on the influence of the ars memorativae in early modern drama. He completed two short-term postdoctoral fellowships before being awarded an IRCHSS research fellow (2010-11). Dr. Loughnane is currently co-editing 'Late Shakespeare, 1608-1613' (Cambridge UP, forthcoming) with Andrew Power (TCD) and 'Celtic Shakespeare: The Bard and the Borderers' (Ashgate, forthcoming) with Willy Maley (Glasgow), and completing a monograph entitled 'Staging Memory: Recovering the Author in Early Modern Drama'. He is a contributing a chapter entitled 'The Medieval Inheritance' to 'The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare's Tragedies', eds. Michael Neill and David Schalkwyk, and is a contributing editor to 'The Lost Plays Database'. He is currently working on a new 'Complete Works of Cyril Tourneur' and an anthology of English writing on Ireland (1500-1700). He is the co-editor of 'The Yearbook of English Studies' on Caroline Drama (2014).
The Court and Sir Orfeo as it's head, represents civilisation, order and culture. In opposition to this safe regulated world is the natural world of the fairy king. His world is wild and dangerous. These two extremes underline importance of the ordered world where good government and leadership are essential with the dangers of a world with out a leader who is a protector of the people.
ReplyDeleteJ. Nolan
Sir Orfeo must pass through the courtyrad to reach his captured lady. In the courtyard people are being tortured. It is a kind of purgatory. The horrors of the courtyard could have two meanings.
ReplyDeleteOn a political level it could represent what could happen to society with out a strong and just leader. It is representative of a broken society. Orfeo in his role as minstrel represents civilisation and culture.
If we look at the christian theme then the courtyard is hell. Orfeo as a christlike figure passes through to play music for the fairy king. These creatures who are being tortured are all people who have been lured or seduced into following the fairy court which is representative of the uncanny or other if not necessarily evil.
J. Nolan
The testing of the steward which occurs only in the medieval christianised version of the orpheus tale. It is very similar to the bible story where christ tests peter's loyalty and faith. However the steward doesn't fail.
ReplyDeleteThe testing of the steward may be intended to instruct the people to remain loyal to their leader even though the leaders may make mistakes or seem to abandon them.
J. Nolan