An Old Song: Analyzing Hadestown

There is little doubt that adaptations of ancient myths have become more mainstream in recent years–providing unique, accessible ways for people to learn more about stories from antiquity. One such adaptation takes the form of a Broadway show: Hadestown, written by Anaïs Mitchell. This paper explores some of the significant ways in which Hadestown has taken its ancient Greek source material–the myths of two mortals named Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as the two divinities Hades and Persephone–and modernized it for a contemporary audience in a way that retains the heart and meaning of both stories. The paper deems Hadestown to be a successful adaptation through analyzing the musical’s key plot points, the four primary characters along with their relationships, and the ways that Mitchell has thematically altered her iteration of the tale.