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

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