Oral Tradition - Tumblr Posts

“It's an old tale from way back when

And we're gonna sing it again and again

We're gonna sing, we're gonna sing…

…We’re gonna sing it again.”

Hadestown is told through the practice of Oral Tradition. It is sung to an audience, and despite it being a sad song, we continue to sing this song. Inspiring others to have it told to them.

I’ve always loved songs/stories that end the way it begins. Hadestown does this effortlessly. But what really butters my bread is this idea of what this means in terms of the various actors.

It’s common knowledge that every person adds their own twist to a character their acting. Who we are blends into the characters we play.

So with the various actors who play Orpheus, Hades, Persephone, Eurydice, Hermes, the Fates, and the Workers, something is added to the story.

Myths oftentimes change. Things get forgotten and replaced. But the core of the story always stays the same. It’s how cultures have different versions of the same stories.

Singing the song of Hadestown “again and again,” allows for this exchange of things being added and forgotten with every new actor.

This is just a thought vomit on Hadestown and the correlation of Oral Traditions and how this leads to a bigger impact with every listen and new actor.