A Queer Omission in Sir Orfeo

Sir Orfeo is a retelling of the Orpheus myth that allows the hero to keep his bride. This paper counters readings of the poem as a vindication of married love by focusing on its reception in the shadow of a significant omission: both Virgil and Ovid state that after losing Eurydice, Orpheus gave up...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inELH Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 909 - 932
Main Author Critten, Rory G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press 01.12.2023
Subjects
14th century
Marriage
Middle English
Poetry
Women
United Kingdom > UK
England
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Summary:Sir Orfeo is a retelling of the Orpheus myth that allows the hero to keep his bride. This paper counters readings of the poem as a vindication of married love by focusing on its reception in the shadow of a significant omission: both Virgil and Ovid state that after losing Eurydice, Orpheus gave up loving women; Ovid adds that Orpheus loved boys. The significance of these missing conclusions is explored for readers of the poem from its scribes to their patrons and their patrons' families. The paper shows the usefulness of a reception-oriented approach for queer readings of the text.
ISSN:0013-8304
1080-6547
1080-6547
DOI:10.1353/elh.2023.a914021