The tragic story of Orpheus and Eurydice in Edith Hamilton's book "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" became the basis of this article by comparing Aristotle's definition of the tragic hero to life of Orpheus as the ideal protagonist of His time.
First, Aristotle said that a tragic hero must be a character of noble stature and greatness. In fact, Orpheus' title as the greatest mortal musician is already considered part of his characteristics as an ideal tragic hero. He is also said to be the son of the god Apollo and the muse Calliope. In addition, his noble fame is the main reason why Eurydice, his wife, chose him as her husband.
Second, while he's considerably tall, he's also shown he's not perfect. Based on ancient texts, Orpheus' virtues were all received from his parents rather than on his personal excellence. His conduct, however, does not seem particularly wise, since he apparently only accepts Eurydice because he was seduced by her gentle gestures.
Third, Orpheus's fall is partly his own fault, the result of free choice, and not of accident or wickedness or evil and primordial fate. It has been said that his act of disobedience was rooted in the death of his wife. And according to Plato, Orpheus does not want to kill himself for his love, instead seeking to bring back to the living because of his lack of heroism and this is the reason why he leaves empty-handed thereafter.
Fourth, his sudden misfortune is not fully deserved. It all started when he lost his wife because of the fault of a certain handsome and pleasant shepherd. And when his wife's second death left him, he couldn't blame himself because of his undying love for his wife.
Finally, the fall of Orpheus is not a pure loss because there is an increase in consciousness, a gain in self-knowledge and a discovery on his part as a tragic hero. His death became the main reason for his new beginnings because his soul descended to the Underworld where he eventually reunited with his wife, Eurydice.
And the central point of this article is that Orpheus is seen as a perfect hero who can be a source of all the inspiring songs that an ideal tragic hero could ever share for those who need to learn the importance of the love and obedience in their lives.
Hamilton, E., 1940. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. United States: The New American Library, Inc.