Literary Analysis Essay on Sir Orfeo

Introduction

Sir Orfeo is a poem that retells a narrative of Orpheus, a mythical musician from the classical setting. As the lay or poem is typically based romance in its structure, it allows the author to explore the narrative in its medieval setup. However, from Sir Orfeo, the idea of devotion and loyalty is presented in numerous ways since the lay portrays a series of enchantments and magic. As Sir Orfeo situates events in Mediaeval England and not in classical Greece, this ensures that Heurodis is placed in both versions, which means that she is not killed but trapped in the underworld and later abducted by a fairy king (Kittredge 176-202). Such occurrences present the ideologies of enchantment; however, this ensures that the idea of devotion and loyalty is portrayed. Evident from the characters used in the poem, Sir Orfeo offers the philosophy of courtly love representing the idea of devotion and loyalty.

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Sir Orfeo's narrative recreates folklore motifs to show the idea of loyalty and devotion by including the journey to the underworld, the man that loses his lover, the exile and return pattern, and the challenging of the loyal steward. Within the lay, it presents a double narrative within which the loss of the queen signifies the failure of the kingdom while, on the other hand, the own recuperation of the queen precipitates the survival of the kingdom. In a more in-depth view of Sir Orfeo, more details depict the idea of devotion and loyalty. For instance, the poem's pattern and structure is based upon the antitheses of sorrow and joy, loss and survival, the harshness of nature, as well as loyalty and betrayal. By using the medieval perspective in the poem, this plays a significant role by interpreting the primary characters. Evident from the structure of the poem, the idea of devotion is seen whereby hundreds of Knight guards were devoted to guarding Heurodis; however, they proved ineffective as the fairy king took her away effortlessly using enchantment (Kittredge 176-202). The devotion and loyalty of Orfeo towards his lover were intense that he abandons his kingdom in charge of his steward, which also depicts the idea of devotion and loyalty between the king and his steward.

Within Sir Orfeo, a stable center is formed by the harp based on the medieval and classical culture. Compared to different circumstances relating to loyalty and devotion, these two different cultures offer a significant association with the characters as they represent the functions of language and culture. The harp, as used in Sir Orfeo, charms animals and creates harmony in the cases of hostility and the only item Orfeo takes into his other world (Kittredge 176-202). Also, it is an object shared by both the poet in the poem and the characters as used on in Sir Orfeo. As such, the harp could be used as an indication of the idea of devotion and loyalty since it depicts its connection with the animals, Orfeo, and other characters as well. The instrument has been used to bridge the fictional world of the poem and the real world in the poem. Correspondingly, the orphic song, which emphasizes the power of poetry, art, and music, provides significant representation of the idea of devotion and loyalty.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sir Orfeo presents the concept or topic of loyalty and devotion as it offers two sides of the poem and tries to connect the fictional and real world.

Works Cited

Kittredge, George Lyman. "Sir Orfeo." The American Journal of Philology 7.2 (1886): 176-202.