maybe orpheus always looks back because his very effort to reverse death means that he can’t look forward. if he could look forward, he could accept eurydice’s death, grieve, and keep moving in life. his refusal to accept her death is looking back. his going down to the underworld, asking hades and persephone for her life, trying to lead her out… it’s all ‘looking back’. he does nothing for the entire story except look back. orpheus! looks! back! it’s his entire thing! the story ends the same way it begins: orpheus looked back.
