Hadestown Teen Edition - March 14 - March 23, 2025
Menlo-Atherton High School
WHO'S WHO IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
A guide to the characters that inspired HADESTOWN.
| ORPHEUS Son of the muse of epic poetry, engaged to marry Eurydice. With his golden voice and lyre, Orpheus charmed all living things, even rocks and stones. |  |
EURYDICE A dryad, or tree nymph, engaged to marry Orpheus. On the day of their wedding; she was bitten by a poisonous snake, died, and descended to the Underworld. |
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HADES God of the dead, ruler of the Underworld, sometimes called "the Wealthy One". He fell in love with, abducted, and married Persephone. Her mother, goddess of the harvest, refused to bless the earth while Persephone was below. |
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PERSEPHONE Goddess of the seasons, flowers, fruit, and grain. By arrangement, she spent half the year with Hades in the Underworld, causing fall and winter above. The other half she returned to her mother, bringing spring and summer with her. |
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HERMES Fleet-footed guide, messenger of the gods, and conductor of souls to the Under-world. In some tellings, it was Hermes who taught Orpheus to play the lyre.
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CHORUS In ancient Greek theater, the Chorus sang, spoke, and danced in unison. Often representing the voice of the citizens, the Chorus commented on the actions of characters and served as an emotional conduit for the audience.
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FATES Three goddesses who together determined the destinies of mortals, measuring their lifespans and apportioning their suffering. |
CLOTHO: Spins the thread of life |
LACHESIS: Measures the length of the thread. |
ATROPOS: Cuts the thread with scissors. |
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