World of Blue - Archived Forum 2007-2022

Several people have notice similarities between Twin Peaks and Greek myth.

Orpheus is a great musician and poet who plays the lyre so well, it charms the beasts. He tries to save his wife Eurydice from the Underworld, but he somehow loses her again. He is told to pay homage to Bacchus, the god of wine. He refuses to, and the Bacchae (who worship Bacchus) tear him to pieces, but his head is still alive, and continues to sing. The parts of his body are buried by the Muses at the foot of Mount Olympus, and eventually the Muses place his head (and his lyre) among the stars. To this day, one of the constellations is called the Lyre. (Not sure if Orpheus is a constellation. Does anyone know about this point?)

Major Briggs is not a poet as such, but has a poetic way of expressing himself. He is interested in Icelandic sagas, and reads the Bible to his wife. The Woodsmen are like the Bacchae, a chaotic group who originate in the Black Lodge. They try to destroy Major Briggs by beheading him, but his head rises upwards, toward the sky. His head is still alive, and floating among the stars, it says, "Blue rose" to the Good Cooper. We see his head again, in the Fireman's Palace. It is reasonable to think that the Fireman and Dido are from the White Lodge, and act like the Muses, protecting and working with Major Briggs.

Any thoughts on this?

I was recently thinking about the role that Major Briggs plays in the series and realized that he's something of a Laura Palmer this time around: his killer is unknown, the circumstances surrounding his death are mysterious, his corpse is given irregular attention and treatment, there is a clue hidden inside his body, and he delivers a message to Cooper from beyond the grave.

Interesting point, Mr Strawberry.

If anyone is Orpheus, it's Cooper. He travels twice through a metaphysical realm to retrieve a Eurydice figure (Annie + Laura).

I agree that Cooper is also an Orpheus figure, because of his attempt to rescue Annie Blackburn.

But Maj. Briggs is another Orpheus, because his head floats off, and takes it place among the stars.

Actually, the "disembodied head", theme appears in Eraserhead (1977), when Henry's head falls off and is replaced by the evil baby's head. Perhaps this is recurring theme for Lynch.

meadowlark wrote:I agree that Cooper is also an Orpheus figure, because of his attempt to rescue Annie Blackburn.

But Maj. Briggs is another Orpheus, because his head floats off, and takes it place among the stars.

Actually, the "disembodied head", theme appears in Eraserhead (1977), when Henry's head falls off and is replaced by the evil baby's head. Perhaps this is recurring theme for Lynch.

Eraserhead also opens with Henry’s head floating almost exactly like Garland’s.

The ziggy zag floor firstly hit the screen in Eraserhead as well. Also the radiator found its origin there. And, what about the "golden pool/portal" in bed when Henry made love with his neighbour?