Echo and Narcissus

Characters:

Chorus (2)

Narrator A

Narrator B

Hera - wife of Zeus

Echo- a young maiden

Narcissus- a very conceited young man

Aphrodite- the goddess of love

The following is an enactment of the play, ‘Echo and Narcissus’, written by Gerald P. Murphy.

Narrators B: Hello. (Hello.)

Narrator A: Your voice echoed!

Narrator B: It did indeed. It must be the cursed maiden calling after me.

Narrator A: The cursed maiden?

Narrator B: Have you ever heard the great Greek tale of Echo and Narcissus?

Narrator A: Oh, I have not.

Narrator B: (motions towards the choir)

Song 1 – “Echo”

Chorus​: In olden days in Greece (in Greece)

There lived a pretty maiden (maiden)

Echo was the that name she was called (was called, was called)

She was a friend of Zeus (of Zeus)

Whose morals were so loose (so loose)

He cheated on his wife who was appalled (appalled, appalled)

She thought that Zeus was cheating (cheating)

Echo he was meeting (meeting)

And Hera thought that nothing could be worse (be worse, be worse)

And so, for Echo’s indiscretion

Soon she suffered great oppression

Hera placed upon this girl a curse (of course, a curse, of course, a curse)

Narrator A:​ And what was the curse? Was she condemned to be devoured by the Minotaur?

Narrator B​: Not at all!

A:​ Was she forced to push a rock uphill for eternity?

B:​ That was someone else’s punishment.

A:​ Was she thrown off some cliff to be devoured by some sea monster?

B:​ Oh, nothing as horrid as all that! If there is one thing Echo felt more pride in than her beauty, it was
her way with words. She was one of the most interesting talkers in Greece. A spell binder!

A:​ That can be very good, you know, unless all this orating dips into jibber jabber and blatant blather! But
what curse did Hera lay on Echo?

B:​ Just watch.

(Hera and Echo enter in the middle of the conversation from stage left)

Hera:​ So nothing can stop you from talking?

Echo:​ Nothing has stopped me so far, Hera. Some say I’m the greatest orator ever born since the world
began.

Hera:​ And humble, too, I see.

Echo:​ I can’t help it if I’m a remarkable communicator. I can moralize, sermonize and improvise! Put me
in front of a crowd and I feel no shyness, no fear, and no trepidation. I have perfect timing for jokes. I can
memorize and deliver whole pages of plays in a few seconds and my voice is one of the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World!

Hera:​ And I suppose you can explain the little trinket you have on your wrist.
Echo:​ This? Why? It’s just a cheap bracelet—a mere bauble I picked up on a trip to Athens.

Hera:​ It is no bauble. That bracelet is gold and it once belonged to me!

Echo;​ I found it in the woods. If it’s yours, please take it back!

Hera:​ Did my husband give you this?

Echo:​ Your husband?

Hera:​ Yes, my husband. Zeus, the king of the gods!

Echo:​ I’ve never had the privilege of meeting Zeus.

Hera:​ Don’t you dare continue this lie! Don’t you know of my anger? Don’t you know you’re dancing
very close to death?

Echo:​ Please, great Hera, forgive me! I have met your husband but we did nothing that would bring
shame to me! Zeus was amused by my stories, songs, and poems. Our intimacy is merely a matter of
words, not deeds!

Hera:​ Since it is with words you have amused my husband, it is with words you will be cursed!

Echo:​ How can I be punished with words?

Hera:​ From this moment on, you shall be able only to repeat what other people say- and never speak
unless someone speaks first!

Echo:​ Unless someone speaks first?

Hera: ​And only repeat what others say!

Echo:​ And only repeat what others say?

Hera:​ Do I hear someone repeating herself?

Echo:​ Do I hear someone repeating herself?

Hera: ​I certainly do!

Echo: (Starting to cry.)​ I certainly do!

Hera:​ Until we meet again!

Echo:​ Until we meet again!

(Hera exists laughing stage left as Echo, sobbing loudly, exists stage right.)
A:​ That was quite a horrible punishment for someone who is so proud of her eloquence. She can never
speak her own words!

B:​ Yes, but unfortunately for Echo, that was not the end of her sorrows.

A:​ Is there anything worse that could happen to her?

B:​ Yes, she could fall in love!

A:​ With Zeus?

B:​ Not Zeus. The lightning bolt of love did not hit her until she ran into Narcissus.

A:​ But love is a many-splendored thing. How could love bring her pain?

B:​ This is Greek mythology. There aren’t many happy endings here.

(Narcissus looking into a mirror, enters from stage left as Echo enters from stage right.)

Narcissus:​ I’m in love. I’m in love. I’m in love with a wonderful guy!

(He walks past Echo, exiting stage right.)

Echo:​ I’m in love. I’m in love. I’m in love with a wonderful guy

(Echo follows him stage right, swooning with love.)

A:​ So what’s the problem? Echo’s a good-looking girl. When he notices her, he’ll be sure to return her
affections.

B:​ Oh, really? Let’s see.

Song 2 – “Narcissus”

Though he’s a handsome boy, he’ll never bring you joy.

He’ll be your nemesis! Never give a gal a kiss.

Best leave him on the shelf. This boy is in love with himself.

So please take my advice. This boy is not so nice.

He’ll only bring you pain, never sunshine, never rain.

Don’t you know there are many fish in the sea?

This guy does not come with any guarantee!

(Narcissus enters from stage right and is followed quickly by the stalking Echo who hides behind a
bush or a column.)

Narcissus:​ I think I’m lost! This place looks very unfamiliar. Perhaps someone will hear me if I call out!

(He screams.)​ Is anybody here?

Echo:​ Here!

Narcissus: (Standing still in amazement, looking around in vain.) ​Whoever you are, come to me!

Echo: ​ Come to me!

Narcissus: ​Why are you avoiding me?

Echo: (Crying.)​ Why are you avoiding me?

Narcissus: ​Come here, I say. Let us meet!

Echo: (Leaping joyfully from behind the bush and rushing to embrace him.) ​Let us meet!

Narcissus: (Pushing her away disdainfully.) ​Away with all these hugs and embraces. I would die
before I would have you touch me!

Echo:​ I would have you touch me!

Narcissus: ​One touch of yours would kill me!

Echo:​ ​(following him sadly offstage) ​Kill me! Kill me!

A:​ Does he kill her?

B: ​He kills her by rejecting her love. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, heard her crying for her unrequited
love and was kind to her, for Echo had been a true lover. Quietly and painlessly, Echo pined away and
died. But her voice lived on, lingering among the rocks and answering faintly whenever Narcissus or
another called.

A:​ So when we hear an echo in mountains or caves, that is Echo’s voice?

B:​ Yes, that is Echo, and, that is how she will always be remembered.

A:​ And Narcissus? Was he ever punished?

B:​ The fate of Narcissus was now in the hands of Aphrodite!

(Aphrodite enters from stage left.)

Aphrodite: ​ Narcissus shall not go unpunished for this cruelty. By scorning poor Echo like this, he scorns
love itself! And scorning love insults me. He is altogether eaten up with self-love. Well, he shall love
himself and no one else, and yet shall die of unrequited love!

(She exists stage left as Narcissus enters stage right to a pool of water.)

Narcissus: ​This looks like the place where that girl attacked me! Where did she get the idea that I could
love her? So many people live in a fantasy world. Women are the worst! They throw themselves at me
and lose all their dignity. I know I am handsome, intelligent and well-spoken, my profile noble and my
physique perfect. They bring me flowers, sing me songs, send me horrible poems of adoration. The
craziest was Echo. I heard she finally died of unrequited love for me. Well, that is her problem. I never
asked for her affection. She was of no use to me whatsoever. In my quest for perfection, I spend a great
deal of time feeling compassion for those lesser beings who lack my sterling qualities.

My voice is almost as beautiful as I am! But singing does make me very thirsty. I haven’t had a drink all
day. Ah, a pool of water! (​He peers into the small pool of water, instantly falling in love with his own
reflection.) ​Oh! Oh! Oh! What is this feeling that I have? Look at that gorgeous face! I love you! I love
you! Be mine! ​(He plunges his arm in the water and the face disappears.) ​Where have you gone? You
have disappeared! ​(Pause.) ​Ah, but now as the water settles, I see you again! What delicacy of features!
Please never leave me again. I promise to never disturb you! I just want to stare into your beautiful face
forever and ever!

A:​ He has gone off the deep end, hasn’t he?

B:​ I’m afraid so.

A:​ Does he ever leave the pool?

B:​ No, he just sits by its side and pines away just the way Echo did. Slowly, Narcissus fades away, and at
last his heart breaks.

Narcissus: ​Woe is me, for I loved in vain!

Echo’s voice: ​I loved in vain!

Narcissus:​ Farewell, my love, farewell!

Echo’s voice: ​My love…. Farewell!

Aphrodite: (Enters from stage right)​ And so, Narcissus died and the earth covered his bones. But with
the spring, a plant pushed its green leaves through the earth where he lay. As the sun shone on it, a bud
opened and a new flower blossomed for the first time. A white circle of petals round a yellow center. The
flowers grew and spread, waving in the gentle breeze which whispered among them like Echo herself
came to kiss the blossoms of the first of Narcissus’ flowers.

B: ​And that, my friend, is the story of Echo and Narcissus.

Group members:

1- Afshan Tanweer

2- Amna Chaudhry

3- Agha Abdullah

4- Atif Irfan

5- Maha Sajid

6- Semal Khalil

7- Sayyeda Gillani

8- Usma Majeed