Kauffman, Angelica, Ariadne abandoned by Theseus. Painting. Eclectic Light. 1774. https://eclecticlight.co/2016/05/06/the-story-in-paintings-ariadne-on-naxos/

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Ariadne’s story continues on Naxos with Dionysus, however, this is where The Crown of Ariadne version of the myth finishes. The myth is told from Ariadne’s perspective. The first movement, Ariadne Awakens, describes Ariadne’s waking, seeing Theseus and the tributes for the first time and falling in love. Ariadne’s Dance portrays Ariadne teaching Theseus the pattern of steps she uses to get through the labyrinth safely with her thread. Murray Schafer and Judy Loman comment on the use of the strange 7/8, 6/8 rhythm, that “the irregularity of the rhythm is down to her remembering the dance to teach Theseus so that he has a chance of making it through the labyrinth. Ariadne is not physically dancing out of the labyrinth, so it’s slightly misremembered and clunky.”[2] Dance of the Bull depicts Theseus’ fight with the Minotaur. Ariadne’s Dream, in my eyes, describes Ariadne’s uneasy slumber as Theseus fights the bull, with premonitions of what is occurring, and Dance of the Night Insects describes the Cretan nightscape as Theseus escapes with Ariadne. Sun Dance shows the couple celebrating by dancing in ritualistic worship in the sunrise on Naxos, after which Ariadne is deserted by Theseus in the Labyrinth Dance. Theseus is represented by the unyielding recorded harp who is being accompanied and chased by the live harp (Ariadne), who tries to keep up but eventually has to break free, and is left alone while the recorded harp fades into the distance.

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On examining the myth, however, I am loathe to accept the apparent passivity of the female characters, Pasiphaë and Ariadne. Pasiphaë was a goddess herself, the goddess of witchcraft and sorcery and daughter of the sun god Helios and Oceanid nymph Perse. This made Ariadne a demigoddess, and Schafer’s version assert she was a high priestess of the labyrinth. Schafer also suggests in his version for Patria V that the Minoans were a matriarchal society, and worshipped a mother Goddess, making Pasiphaë and Ariadne the heads of state, rather than King Minos, with Ariadne having no need to take a consort to rise to the throne.[3] Indeed, there are several depictions found in Minoan art of women and priestesses performing religious rituals. There are also numerous carvings of a “snake goddess” (modern given name, original is unknown as Linear A, the language of the Minoans, is yet to be deciphered), whose symbols were bulls, and the double axe.[4]

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I reject the idea that these great women were so completely overwhelmed and controlled by male whims. It is all too common for ancient stories of female power to be erased by succeeding patriarchal cultures. Although gruesome to modern readers, perhaps Pasiphaë desired the bull outright, either showing ultimate depravity or her lust perhaps in keeping with the bull worshipping religion of the ancient Minoans. Perhaps Ariadne simply wanted to kill Asterion, rather than being cursed or overcome by love. I find myself frustrated at attempts to reduce her character. In a conversation with Professor Ellen Watermann, a colleague and collaborator of Schafer’s, she noted however that Schafer wanted to keep the character of Ariadne “flat, an archetype,”[5] which to me feels counterintuitive in a piece of music supposedly written from her viewpoint.

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I also have qualms about the general portrayal of the Minotaur. His given name was Asterion, which translates as “star creature,” and Minoans worshipped bulls, so we can view him as a demigod, like his sister Ariadne. Indeed, the winged horse Pegasus was the son of Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa, and the god Zeus often took the form of animals in his lustful conquests (such as in the case of Leda where he appeared to her as a swan) so it was relatively normal in ancient times for gods to bear non-human offspring or mate in/with animal forms. Indeed, when describing Asterion, Schafer asserts that he “retains his divine spark.”[6]

 

Indigenous Mythological Inspiration

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Schafer’s masterwork cycle, Patria, draws inspiration from ancient mythology and various Native American and First Nations mythologies – where the line is can be drawn on inspiration versus appropriation is difficult to qualify. However, as Ellen Waterman remarks “to dismiss Schafer in this way is to ignore the importance of his explorations in culture, community and art; for in borrowing from world cultures, Schafer acknowledges the multiplicity of cultures within his homeland."[7] From my research, by no means a conclusive foray into this mythology and folklore,  many of the characters of the Prologue: The Princess of the Stars seem to draw on figures from Anishinaabe and Algonquin folklore. The Prologue introduces the character archetypes that will be reborn throughout the cycle: the Masculine, Feminine, Hero, Heroine, and Dynamic Force. In the Prologue these are presented as the Sun Father (Masculine), Wolf (Hero), Princess of the Stars (Heroine) and Three Horned Enemy (Dynamic Force).

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Potential inspirations for the Sun Father include Gitchi Manitou. This name means "Great Spirit" in the Anishinaabe languages and is used to refer to the Creator God. Although, Gitchi-Manitou is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and was never originally personified in Anishinaabe folklore, with the introduction of English and gender pronouns, the spirit began to be referred to as a “he”. Schafer distinctly assigns a masculine archetype. The Sun Father of course may also be inspired by the God of Christianity, the Old Testament God who interfered directly in the lives of mortals.

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The Three Horned Enemy may have been inspired by the Water Panther (native names include include Mishibizhiw, Nampeshiu). This is a creature resembling a cross between a cougar and a dragon, who lives in deep water and drowns those who they encounter.

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The Wolf (later reincarnated as Theseus), has parallels to Kichi-Odjig (Great Fisher)¸ an animal spirit who slays monsters and is represented as the Big Dipper constellation, or Manabozho (The Transformer).[8]

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Other Representations in Culture

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The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur has fascinated generation upon generation, frequently being drawn upon for artistic inspiration. Notable examples include operas such as Teseo by Handel[9], Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss [10] and The Minotaur by Harrison Birtwistle [11], music such as Theseus (a companion piece to The Crown of Ariadne)[12] and Beauty and the Beast by Murray Schafer [13], Minotaure by Hélène Breschand [14], and the Ariadne Rediviva project by the Atlantic Harp Duo [15]. Recent famous adaptations include the 2013 BBC series Atlantis [16] and the popular Percy Jackson Chronicles by Rick Riordan[17].