Skip to main content

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part A

Reading Notes focused on Psyche's Despair
(Cupid and Psyche by John Hoppner on Wikipedia Commons)

This week's reading is a little than the other ones that I have read so far as it is one long story instead of several shorter stories put together. Because of that, I am focusing my notes on one of the chapters in the first half of the story.

Plot: This is the last chapter of the first half of Psyche and Cupid's story. At the beginning of this chapter Psyche, tempted by the evil scheming of her sisters, has gazed upon her mysterious husband and discovered it's Cupid. Since this went directly against what Cupid asked of her, he banishes her from his bed and their palace with only the things that are hers. Psyche is in despair as she loved her husband and her life and knows she has thrown it all away. While wandering, she encounters Pan and he tells her she should pray to Cupid. Wandering farther, she encounters one of her sister's kingdoms. She devises a trick for her sister. She tells her the truth about what happened but says that Cupid said he would now marry her sister as punishment for Psyche's crimes. Wanting to become a goddess and have all of the gifts Psyche had, the sister sails to the palace where her body is dashed on the rocks and she dies. The other sister suffers the same fate.

Characters: In this particular part of the story, only Psyche, her sisters, and Pan appear. Pan only appears briefly and is not that significant to the rest of the plot.

Lesson: The lesson in this story is not to become jealous and coveting of others good fortune as that could be your downfall.

Ideas: I would maybe just do a straight retelling of this story. Or a similar tale of revenge that focuses on using someone's own evil desires against them. 

Story Source: From The Golden Ass by Tony Kline

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Week 2 Story: The King and the Farmer's Daughter

There once was a village on the edge of a large kingdom. In this village lived the beautiful and clever daughter of a poor farmer and his wife. In this kingdom, there also lived a king renowned for his riches and power. One day the king came to the village to collect taxes where he caught sight of the girl. Struck by her beauty, he went to her parents and demanded her hand in marriage. While her parents did not want to force their daughter into a marriage, they did not wish to enrage such a powerful king. They went to their daughter and informed her of the king’s demands. The girl asked to speak to the king herself. The next day the king met the girl at her home. Once again struck by her beauty, the king demanded, “Be my bride.” The girl responded, “My lord, I am but the daughter of a lowly farmer, I am not worthy of being your bride. My parents do not have any money to their name.” The king was so in love with her beauty he granted her all the jewels in the castle treasury. The next d...

Comment Wall

Here is my storybook site! (Ring on Book by Ylanite Koppens ) Will You Marry Me?

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales Part A

The Field of Boliauns (Leprechaun with Pot of Gold from Pixabay ) Plot: A young man named Tom was on a walk when he heard a sound in the bushes. Behind the bushes was a little leprechaun with a pitcher. Tom knew you cannot take your eyes of a leprechaun or you may lose their treasure. Tom then engages the leprechaun in a discussion about beer. The leprechaun claims that he can make beer out of heath which Tom claims is impossible. The leprechaun then tries to trick Tom into looking behind him at some cows. Tom almost takes his eyes off the leprechaun but at the last moment, he grabs the leprechaun and demands he show him his money or he will kill him. So he takes Tom to a field of boliauns and points out a specific bunch saying that's where his treasure is. Tom had to go back to get a spade so he tied a red garter around the specific bunch. Before Tom let the leprechaun go, he made him swear not to move the red garter. When Tom got back to the field he saw that every si...