Conceptualizing the Afterlife Within Mythology

 

Statuette of Anubis. The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
332-30 B.C.E.

Throughout literature and media, but especially within mythology, we see every culture around the world has a unique and beautiful understanding of the concept of the afterlife, life after death. Each culture has a unique belief about what transpires once a human reaches death, and the myths told pertaining to the afterlife from each culture evidence these beliefs. Whether they believe in a specific destination based off the way you lived your life, as a reward or punishment, or if they focus on the cyclical nature of life and believe that they are continuously reborn. But regardless of where these myths originated, and the cultures of the people who created them, we see many universal themes, archetypes, and symbols that echo across all of them, albeit in unique ways that are significant to their respective cultures. This can be seen by examining the "Egyptian Book of the Dead,” as found through Project Gutenberg, and the Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice,” as seen through Classical Tales.

            Within both myths we are presented with the concept of the afterlife as being some type of journey. The "Egyptian Book of the Dead” is a series of spells and incantations that were developed to assist a soul’s journey in the afterlife, for they believed that the soul must undertake this journey and prevail over many obstacles and tests before they are judged and allowed to continue on their journey into the Field of Reeds, a place similar to the Christian concept of Heaven, or resigned to a nonexistence. While the Greek story of “Orpheus and Eurydice,” follows Orpheus’s journey into the underworld, as he attempts to convince Hades, the ruling God of the underworld, and his wife Persephone to allow him to retrieve his wife Eurydice and bring her back to the world of the living.

Both myths also feature the concept of Divine Intervention, as supernatural forces influence, guide, or play a significant role within these journeys and in the fates of the characters themselves. The "Egyptian Book of the Dead," in and of itself, can be a part of this divine intervention, as many of the spells are purposely calling upon specific God’s for assistance. For example, within Chapter XXVI “Chapter whereby the Heart is given to a person in the Netherworld,” the spell entreats, “Let Seb, the Erpā of the gods, part my two jaws; let him open my two eyes which are closed” (Project Gutenberg, 6). While within the Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice,” this divine intervention is seen through the acts of Hades, as he commands the third fate sister to mend Eurydice’s cut thread of life and when Persephone returns both Orpheus’ and Eurydice’s memories after Orpheus passes away (pg 2, par 2; par 8).

While both myths contain these similarities, including similar archetypes and symbols, such as the river, these myths are startlingly different. As explained previously, the "Egyptian Book of the Dead,” are a series of spells and incantations, while the Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice” is an actual story. The “Book of the Dead” focuses on the things the Egyptian’s felt were necessary to complete the journey to the afterlife and to prepare the soul for judgement. It isn’t told as a story with the intent to elicit emotion, or compassion, but as a strict guide. Whereas the Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice” is, and it features many human emotions, like love and loss and even the power of music. It focuses on the personal story of Orpheus and his specific journey. The descriptions of the afterlife in both myths are vastly different as well. In the “Book of the Dead,” it is multifaceted with many different areas, containing many different things. Yet within “Orpheus and Eurydice,” the afterlife is described as full of “darkness,” and “shadowy hills” (pg 1, par 4).

Personally, I find the Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice” to be the more compelling of the two, mostly because of the emotions it elicits. It deals with both the concepts of love and the loss of that love. The way in which Orpheus pleads with Hades and Persephone through his song, and their reactions, as Persephone “her face streaming with silver tears” and Hades and his “one oily black tear (that) trickled down his cheek” as they contemplate the reality of that same loss being visited upon themselves, are not only beautiful and inspiring, but thought provoking and motivational. The way in which Orpheus instinctively looks back and reaches for Eurydice, leading to her final death, for me, highlights the ways in which humanity often does the exact opposite of what is required, though with pure intentions. And the ending, in which Persephone grants them their memories so that they may travel the afterlife throughout eternity together, while those around them travel in a state of forgetfulness, is beyond beautiful. Though, the most powerful part of this myth, for me, is the final line, in which Orpheus “walks ahead, knowing that he can look over his shoulder and his Eurydice will always be there,” as it evidences the true power of love.

 

Works Cited:

Renouf, P. L. P., & Naville, E. (n.d.). Egyptian Book of the Dead. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/69566/69566-h/69566-h.htm

Orpheus and Eurydice. Classic Tales. (n.d.). https://classictales.co.uk/sites/default/files/transcriptorpheusandeurydice.pdf

Image Credit:

“Statuette of Anubis.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 332-30 B.C.E., https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/590939