Orpheus’s Gaze: Love, Curiosity, or the Curse of Being Human?

The story of Orpheus is one of the most touching tragedies in mythology. His struggle to bring back his beloved Eurydice from the underworld is not only a love story, but also a narrative that questions the deepest contradictions of human nature. Despite the ban he received from Hades, Orpheus’s ability to look back at the moment of salvation makes us ask the following questions: Is this look the product of love, curiosity, or the inevitable curse of being human?

The Dilemma of Love: Self-sacrifice or Possession?

Love is at the center of Orpheus’ story. Orpheus, who descends into the underworld to rescue Eurydice, is a figure who influences even the gods and nature with his music. His journey seems to represent the self-sacrificing nature of love. In Plato’s Symposium, love is defined as the desire to complete a person’s deficiency; Orpheus’ passion for Eurydice is the most concrete form of this deficiency. However, Orpheus’s gaze shows that love is not only self-sacrifice, but also a desire for possession and control.

Does the gaze stem from a momentary insecurity? Did Orpheus want to check whether Eurydice was really there? In this case, love is shaped not by trust but by doubt. Kierkegaard’s concept of the leap of faith in Fear and Trembling is reversed here: instead of believing, Orpheus surrenders to doubt. Love is the force that leads him to the underworld, but the same love causes him to fail at the most critical moment. This reveals the paradoxical nature of love: love is both redemptive and destructive.

Orpheus’s gaze also reminds us that love is a subjective experience. Eurydice is almost like an object in the story; we rarely hear her voice, her will, or her gaze. Orpheus’s love is perhaps for an Eurydice he idealizes. This shows how love can be intertwined with selfishness. According to Levinas’ ethical philosophy, true love requires recognizing the otherness of the other. Instead of respecting Eurydice’s otherness, Orpheus sees her as a reflection of his own desires. In this sense, the gaze reveals not the limits of love but the egoism of love.

The Ontological Origin of Curiosity: The Desire to Know and Existential Loss

Orpheus’ gaze is not only a symbol of love, but also of human curiosity. Curiosity represents man’s thirst for knowledge; however, this hunger often has destructive consequences. In ancient Greece, hubris is a concept by which people who encroach on the domain of the gods are punished. In this sense, Orpheus’ gaze is a moment of hubris: he wants to know what is forbidden to know, violating the prohibition imposed by the gods.

Heidegger’s concept of “forgetting being” in Being and Time provides a key to understanding Orpheus’ curiosity. According to Heidegger, when seeking the truth of being, people often get caught up in everyday concerns. Orpheus’ gaze can be read as the desire to reach the truth of existence (Eurydice’s existence) being sabotaged by everyday curiosity (doubt, insecurity). Curiosity does not liberate Orpheus; on the contrary, it condemns him to an existential loss.

Another dimension of curiosity is man’s desire to question his own limits. Nietzsche’s effort to “transcend himself” in Thus Spoke Zarathustra finds a tragic echo in Orpheus’ story. Orpheus wants to transcend the limits set by the gods, but this effort reveals his humanity – his fragility and tendency to make mistakes. Curiosity is man’s desire to emulate the divine; however, Orpheus’ gaze shows that this emulation is doomed to failure.

The Curse of Being Human: The Contradiction Between Freedom and Fate

Orpheus’ gaze displays the curse of being human in its most naked form: the tension between freedom and fate. According to Sartre’s existentialism, man is condemned to freedom; he must create his own meaning at every moment. Orpheus’s gaze shows that this freedom is both a gift and a burden. He could have chosen not to look; however, his freedom pushes him to do what is forbidden. This is the tragic irony of human will: Freedom often betrays itself.

On the other hand, the story of Orpheus also emphasizes the inevitability of fate. In mythology, the laws set by the gods limit human will. Orpheus’ gaze is perhaps the result of a fate written by the gods rather than his own will. This shows that man is stuck between freedom and fate. The absurdity that Camus mentions in The Myth of Sisyphus lies precisely in this contradiction: While man strives to create meaning, he confronts the indifference of the universe. While Orpheus strives to save Eurydice, he confronts the indifferent laws of the gods.

The curse of being human also lies in the capacity to make mistakes. Orpheus’s gaze reveals the flawed nature of man—doubt, insecurity, impatience. These flaws separate man from the gods, but they also fuel man’s creativity and passion. Orpheus’s music is a reflection of his humanity: both a divine gift and the bearer of a tragic flaw.

The Aesthetic and Ethical Dimension of the Gaze

Orpheus’ gaze also brings with it an aesthetic and ethical questioning. From an aesthetic perspective, the gaze represents the transience of beauty and the fragility of art. Orpheus’ music is an expression of beauty and love; however, the gaze shows that this beauty can vanish in an instant. According to Adorno’s philosophy of art, art reflects the suffering nature of man. Orpheus’ gaze is the most concrete expression of this suffering: art, no matter how sublime, succumbs to man’s fragility.

From an ethical perspective, Orpheus’ gaze raises the question of responsibility and obligation towards the other. Eurydice’s loss is a result of Orpheus’ own actions. This reminds us of the necessity of man to confront the consequences of his own actions. Levinas’ concept of the “face of the other” finds a strong echo here: Orpheus wants to see Eurydice’s face, but this gaze destroys the existence of the other. An ethical gaze requires recognizing the existence of the other; Orpheus’s gaze, however, renders this recognition impossible.

Orpheus’ Gaze and the Human Condition

Orpheus’ gaze represents a moment when love, curiosity, and the curse of being human are intertwined. Love is the force that leads Orpheus to the underworld; however, the same love causes him to fall into doubt and failure. Curiosity reflects man’s thirst for knowledge; however, this thirst often ends in destruction. The curse of being human lies in the contradiction between freedom and fate, will and imperfection.

Orpheus’s story reminds us of the tragic nature of human existence. The gaze is not just a momentary mistake; it is a symbol of man’s effort to question his own limits, desires, and fragility. In this sense, Orpheus’ gaze is the story of all of us: we all look back for a moment—and this gaze is both a testament to our loss and our humanity.