How did Cocteau employ the elements of the katabasis motif in his telling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice and, in your opinion, did he incorporate them successfully? Show how aspects of Cocteau’s rendition of the ancient myth reflect personal issues as discussed in class; feel free to include other information. In your view, was his use of myth as effective in telling his own story as that of Pasolini in Edipo Re? Finally, what do you make of the different conclusions experienced by the ancient and modern Orpheus? That is, how did the ancient Orpheus respond to his katabasis in contrast to Cocteau’s Orpheus?
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