ENGLISH 10

ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS
SEPTEMBER 2, 2024

Activity 1
Directions: Read carefully the story entitled “Orpheus” by Alice Low. Answer the following processing
questions on the space provided.

ORPHEUS
retold by Alice Low

There were nine goddesses called Muses. Born out of Zeus and Titaness named
Mnemosyne, each muse presided over a different art of science.
Calliope, one of these sisters, was the inspiration of poets and musicians. She was the
mother of Orpheus (a mortal because his father was one) and gave to her son a remarkable
talent for music.
Orpheus played his lyre so sweetly that he charmed all things on earth. Men and women
forgot their cares when gathered around him to listen. Wild beasts lay down as they gathered
around him as if they were tame, entranced by his soothing notes. Even rocks and trees
followed him, and the rivers changed their direction to hear him play.
Orpheus loved a young woman named Eurydice, and when they were married, they looked
forward to many years of happiness together. But soon after, Eurydice stepped on a
poisonous snake and died.
Orpheus roamed the earth, singing sad melodies to try to overcome his grief. But it was no
use. He longed for Eurydice so deeply that he decided to follow her to the underworld. He
said to himself, “No mortal has ever been there before, but I must try to bring back my
beloved Eurydice. I will charm Persephone and Hades with my music and win Eurydice’s
release.”
He climbed into a cave and through a dark passage that led to the underworld. When he
reached the river Styx, he plucked his lyre again, and Cerberus, the fierce three-headed dog
who guarded the gates, heard the sweet music and lay still to let him pass.
Orpheus continued to play his lyre tenderly as he made his way through the gloomy
underworld. The ghosts cried when they heard his sad music. Sisyphus, who had been
condemned to roll a rock uphill forever, stopped his fruitless work to listen. Tantalus, who had
been sentenced to stand in a pool of receding water, stopped trying to quench his thirst. And
even the wheel to which Ixion was tied as punishment stopped turning for one moment.
At last Orpheus came to the palace of Hades and Persephone, King and Queen of the
underworld. Before they could offer him to leave, he began his gentle song, pleading for
Eurydice.
When stern Hades heard Orpheus’ song, he began to weep. Cold Persephone was so moved
that, for the first time in all her months in the underworld, her heart melted.
“Oh, please, my husband,” she said to Hades, “let Eurydice be reunited with Orpheus.” They
summoned Eurydice, and the two lovers clasped each other and turned to leave.
 “Wait!” said Hades to Orpheus. “Eurydice is yours to take back to earth on one condition.”
What is that?” asked Orpheus
“She must follow you, and you must not look back at her until you are on earth again.”
“I understand,” said Orpheus, and “and I am forever grateful.”
Orpheus and Eurydice left the underworld and made their way through the dark passage that
led to the upper world. At last they reached the cave through which Orpheus had descended.
“I can see daylight ahead” called Orpheus to Eurydice. “We are almost there.”
But Eurydice had not heard him, and so she did not answer.
Orpheus turned to make sure that she was still following him. He caught one last glimpse of
her arms stretched out to him. And then she disappeared, swallowed by darkness.
“Farewell,” he heard her cry as she was carried back to the underworld.
Orpheus tried to follow her, but this time the gods would not allow it. And so he wandered the
earth alone. He sang his sad songs to the trees and longed for the time when he, too, would
die and be reunited with his beloved Eurydice in the underworld.
Almonte, Liza R., Flandez, Lerma L., Hermosa, Angelina Lourdes A.,
Lagustan, Nedia, Mangaluz, Liberty A., Miranda, Elenita R., Mendoza, Paul Anthony B, et al.
“Grade 10 English Learner’s Material: Celebrating Diversity through World Literature.” 1st ed.
Pasig City: Department of Education, 2015. pg. 55

Activity 2
Directions: In two to four sentences answer the following questions on the blank provided Use the
worksheet provided for you:
What lesson did you get from the story?
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Does the story follow the parts of the plot?
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Activity 3
Directions: Read each question carefully. For this task, please write your answer on the worksheet
provided.
Questions:

1. What was the greatest strength of Orpheus? What was his weakness?
2. What effect did Orpheus’ music have on people and gods? Cite two examples of this.
3. Why did Orpheus decide to rescue his wife from the underworld?
4. Why did Orpheus look back to see if Eurydice was following him?
5. What reasons might the gods have for allowing Orpheus and Eurydice to be reunited?
6. Explain why the gods gave a condition to Orpheus and to his bride to return to earth.
7. What main characteristic of this text makes it a myth?
8. To whom does Orpheus owe his talent? Why was he able to win the sympathy of the gods?
9. In what situations where the gods willing to help humans?
10. Does the story reveal certain realities about the Greeks? What are these?
11. What does the story reveal about the concept of gods in Greek mythology?

Activity 4: The plot of a story follows the given diagram below.

Directions: Study the chart below. Supply each corresponding box given the plot of the story
“Orpheus.” Write the whole paragraphs inside the column A box.

ORPHEUS

Column A Column B

1. EXPOSITION
2. RISING ACTION

3. CLIMAX

4. FALLING ACTION

5. RESOLUTION

Sentence Box:

A. Orpheus is a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. He
has the ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music.

B. Orpheus met and wooed the maiden, Eurydice. They were married. Directly after their
wedding, as the bride walks in the meadow with her bridesmaid, a viper bit her and caused to
death.

C. Orpheus went to the underworld and successfully convinced Hades and Persephone to give
his wife in a condition that he should not turn a glimpse to her until they reach the world of the
living. They pass the great doors of Hades to the path that which would take them out of the
darkness. Climbing up and up. But when they almost there, and he turned to her. It was too
soon in the cavern. He saw her in the dim light and held out his arms to clasp her, but on the
instant, she was gone.

D. Desperately, he tried to rush after her and follow her down, but he is not allowed. The Gods
did not allow him to go down to land of the dead the second time, while he is alive.

E. He wandered through the wild solitude of Thrace, comfortless except for his lyre, playing,
always playing, the rocks and the rivers and the trees him gladly, his only companions.