This week, I have decided to read the Cupid and Psyche. When reading the description, I decided that I would like this unit as it has a much different feel than the Biblical Women unit. I don't know anything about the author or the the unit's material, so I am excited to learn more about this! The post will be split up into the different readings for the unit.
Here is a link to the reading unit homepage:
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-apuleiuss-cupid-and.html
The Captive Woman
The story began with a very detailed explanation of the campsite at which the robbers had set up. The story was told in the voice of the Golden Ass, a man turned into a donkey. The donkey uses great imagery to tell the story of the old woman who is there to soothe the young woman that is taken captive. This first story was a lead in for the rest of the stories and is there to serve as a preface for the rest of the stories in the unit.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-captive-woman.html
Her Dream
This story was, again, a little more of a preface to the story of Cupid and Psyche. However, this story was largely about the young woman telling her side of the story of her kidnapping. Furthermore, this story had a little about the young woman's dream in which she was even further lamented. This story used a lot of great imagery again, as I felt like I was in the room when the kidnapping happened.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-her-dream.html
Psyche's Beauty
I loved this section of the story unit. Again, there were so many details that I was really able to visualize what was happening in the story. It was really interesting that the story brought in outside characters from mythology such as Venus. Hearing the thoughts of Venus about the woman who was so beautiful that people worshipped her, was really interesting.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-beauty.html
The Oracle of Apollo
The section of the story in this piece of Cupid and Psyche was a little harder for me to understand. However, I really felt for Psyche in this story. Even with her abounding beauty, she was alone, as no one married her. In the story, the girl's father then consulted the oracle of Apollo which said that the girl would have a dark and fatal marriage. But, the King had to do as he was told and gave his daughter away in a fatal marriage, as the oracle told.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-oracle-of-apollo.html
The Magical Palace
The story of the Magical Palace was really interesting to me. There were so many details and such great imagery. I could hear the music of the invisible choir and could see the beauty of the palace meant only for Psyche. I really liked this story because I could really visualize everything in the palace and I imagine Psyche's marvel at this lovely place that was all for her.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-magical-palace.html
The Mysterious Husband
In this story, I finally got to hear more about Psyche's husband, with whom she was supposed to have a fatal marriage. The husband seemed very distant and tormented, as he did not love Psyche. He told Psyche she could not talk to her family, who thought she was dead. Psyche was tormented and her husband became angry with her for her sadness. I liked this story, as there was another character added to the mix.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-mysterious-husband.html
The Jealousy of Psyche's Sisters
This story was much different than the others in the unit. The sisters of Psyche were very jealous of the luxury and wealth that their sister was seemingly enjoying, while their husbands were old and crippled. What they did not know, however, was that Psyche's husband was also old and her marriage was doomed. This story included a lot of dialogue from the sisters, something that added a lot of depth to the story.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-jealousy-of-psyches-sisters.html
Psyche's Husband Warns Her
Psyche was given a warning by her husband to see the wickedness of her sisters. Her sisters were compared as wicked creatures, bringing only bad omens to her marriage. Psyche's husband asked her to not speak to them, as they would bring such bad elements to her marriage. If Psyche was to have a divine child, she must not speak to her sisters.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-husband-warns-her.html
Fears and Doubts
Fears and Doubts showed more of a human aspect than any story in this unit has shown thus far. Jealously was a huge trait shown in this story, as Psyche's sisters asked her to kill her husband, so that they would finally know what he looked like. The sisters were jealous that Psyche had all these riches and could possibly be married to a god, so they instructed her to kill him. This story brought a great human element into an otherwise "fairytale-esque" story.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-fears-and-doubts.html
Psyche's Husband Revealed
This story was really interesting, yet very sad all at the same time. Psyche decided that she would kill her husband, as her wretched sisters asked, yet when it came time to do the deed, she couldn't as she saw that her husband was the god Cupid, son of Venus. Cupid told her that he loved her and that she disobeyed him, after Psyche had struck herself with one of his arrows, making her fall in love with him even more. He then left, causing her much pain. This story was interesting to me, as it revolves around the woman following the orders of her husband. Psyche disobeyed her husband and he still loved her, but still had to punish her by leaving.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-husband-revealed.html
Psyche's Despair
Yet another character was added to the mix in this story. Pan, the god of the wild, comforted Psyche as she was distraught at her husbands quick exit in the last story. After this consolation, Psyche visited her sisters, who were still as jealous as ever. She told them a lie, causing her sisters to be killed by jumping off the cliff to get to Psyche's house. This cruel end for her sisters was Psyche's way of getting revenge for how wicked her sisters had truly been.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-despair.html
Venus and the Goddesses
This story begins with Venus hearing the tale of her son, Cupid, and Psyche. Venus hates Psyche, as the people were worshipping Psyche for her beauty and not Venus. The story is largely about Venus reprimanding her son for betraying her and loving Psyche. This story does a great job of showing the strange transition of boy to man and how the mother fits into that formula. The goddesses talk to Venus about her being too harsh on her son, but she is so angry that she leaves.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-venus-and-goddesses.html
Psyche's Prayer
Psyche finds an altar on a mountainside and decides to pray to the gods and goddesses to appease her suffering. She begins to pray and Ceres found her, asking how she could be praying when Venus is out to get her. Ceres is regretful to tell Psyche that she cannot help her, as she has ties of friendship and family with Venus.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-prayer.html
Venus and Mercury
In this story, we see another god come into the mix. Mercury, the messenger god is employed by Venus to find Psyche, who has gone missing. The gods and mortals alike were looking for Psyche in not only the heavens, but the earthly lands as well. This story shows that with enough rage, people will do anything to get revenge, just as Venus employed the gods to find her enemy, Psyche.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-venus-and-mercury.html
Venus and Psyche
The story begins with Venus finding Psyche and sent her attendants, Anxiety and Sorrow, to punish Psyche. She was tortured and yelled at by Venus, out of rage for disobeying what Venus had said. After the torture, Venus instructed Psyche to complete a task of hard work in order to gain her approval. The task, enormous in size, was very difficult and Psyche cried out. Suddenly, ants came to help her sort the pile that Venus had left and then quickly vanished. This story reminded me how important asking for help is. I think it teaches a wonderful lesson to not be prideful enough to not ask for help.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-venus-and-psyche.html
Psyche's Next Task
Venus, still furious with Psyche gave her another task of getting the wool of raging sheep. Venus believed that Psyche would be seriously injured by the sheep, but in fact, a simple reed on the edge of the river gave Psyche some information to save her from the sheep. Psyche did as she was told and took the wool back to Venus, who was still not pleased. Venus gave Psyche yet another task, to climb a mountain and bring back the spring's liquids.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-task.html
The Third Task
The task given to Psyche by Venus was outlined in the last story and this story was about the quest itself. Psyche climbed the mountain but the serpent creatures and jagged rock wall were not able to be crossed by her. She stood there in disbelief that she would not succeed when Jupiter came to help her get the liquid. This story made me think of the classic fairy tale that the good side (Psyche) always wins.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-task-accomplished.html
The Jar of Beauty
Psyche brought the jar back to Venus, who was still not pleased. Venus gave her yet another task to visit the underworld and to give the jar to Proserpine to give her some beauty for a day. Psyche is helped by a wind current with very specific directions on how to get to the underworld unscathed. Psyche does this, yet is tempted to take a bit of diving beauty for herself. She is overcome with temptation, as many mortals are.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-jar-of-beauty.html
The Sleep of the Dead
In this story, Psyche opens the box of beauty and finds that it pits her into a deep slumber. Cupid, now healed, comes to her side and tasks her to finish the task his mother had assigned her. Cupid then goes to Jupiter to gain his favor and is reprimanded. Jupiter employs Cupid to bring him an outstanding beauty in exchange for his favor in the legitimate marriage of Psyche and Cupid. Even those these characters are gods, this is a very human thing to do. Many times, we have a tradeoff for doing something for others, rather than just doing it to help someone else.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-sleep-of-dead.html
The Wedding Feast
The story of Cupid and Psyche ends happily, with a legitimate marriage, a daughter, and Psyche becoming a god in order to be with Cupid. As the old woman ends with the story, we return back to the original frame story with the donkey narrating. The robbers were thinking of killing the donkey, as the had not received much profit.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-wedding-feast.html
The Escape
In this story, Lucius tries to escape from this robbers and tussles with the old woman, who tries to hold him back. The captive girl then took the rope from the old woman and mounted the donkey, eager to escape the captivity of the robbers. The story ends with Lucius and the girl escaping. This story is just like a classic fairy tale in which the good guys win, the bad guys lose, and everything ends up as it should.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/this-story-is-part-of-cupid-and-psyche.html
No comments:
Post a Comment