Week 3 Reading Diary: Cupid and Psyche

I am taking a different approach in how I am taking notes for this assignment.  I am focusing on my favorite parts in each of the sections, and hopefully this will aid in my retelling of the week.  For this week I chose the Unit: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche.

The Captive Woman & Her Dream:  Learning that the tale of Cupid and Psyche was a story-within-a-story excited me.  It was ironic that the old woman tells this story as she tries to console the young bride.  It set up the basis on the fairy tale aspect of the story.  Since the readers are only read a portion of Apulenius's novel Golden Ass, I didn't really pay much attention to Lucius.

Psyche's Beauty: As notes at the header of the section, this portion of the tale follows the classic fairy tale beginning.  I did feel bad for Psyche since although the story never states that she is humble, it depicts her in such a way.  I think Venus is sort of ridiculous, but I guess that's how majority of the Olympian gods and goddesses acted when they did not get their way.  If I were her I would have chastened those who were supposed to worship me, not try and get back at a mortal.  If she wouldn't have been so hot headed she could have approached Psyche herself, and probably could have used her as good for her temples.  I was surprised at Cupid's ruthless description, for normally we only hear about him creating bonds of true love, and not about how he is infamous for what we know today as a home wrecker.

(Psyche Honored by the People, Giordano)

The Oracle of Apollo:  Here is where the reader learns that although she is the most beautiful around, Psyche's looks are also a curse.  She cannot find a suitor, and she is soon left at home lonely and low. When her parents visit the Oracle, and she was summoned to the gods, I was reeled in by anticipation to what would happen next.  I applauded Psyche for being calm, courageous, and obedient in the strange situation she was placed in.

The Magical Palace & The Mysterious Husband:  This is where the Beauty and the Beast reference is the strongest.  Although, in Disney's version the princess was at least able to interact with her servants.  This story has more mystery than The Beauty and the Beast, for at least in the Disney version the princess was, again, able to see the Beast and she realized he was an unappealing creature. Where as Psyche has no idea what her husband looks like, and she is only allowed to be around him in darkness.  No matter what my opinions are, though, they begin to fall in love and now it's time to learn of her sisters jealousy.

The Jealousy of Psyche's Sisters, Psyche's Husband Warns Her, Fears and Doubts, & Psyche's Husband Revealed:  This sequence of stories reminds me of real life, and the troubles many couples have to face (mostly from what I observe on Facebook).  Psyche is happy in her marriage, but is also lonely since she has no companions other than when her husband visits at night. Eventually her sisters visit her, and are so jealous they plan to break up the happy couple.  They fill her mind that she may be married to a demon, and give her to tools to reveal who he is.  Cupid warns Psych time and time again, but the warnings eventually fall on deaf ears.  When the sisters plan follows through, Cupid is enraged that Psyche broke his trust. He is awakened when she burns his shoulder with oil. Psyche is dumbfounded when she realizes that she is married to Cupid, and is devastated when he leaves her.  The last section is the most suspenseful, and I couldn't help but wonder if Psyche would ever see him again.

(Psyche Abandoned, by Coypel)

Psyche's Despair:  Psyche's revenge to her sisters surprised me in the extent that she was  comfortable in being the cause of their deaths.  Obviously the Greeks and Romans view death in a different way we do today.

Venus and the Goddesses, Psyche's Prayer, & Venus and Mercury: When Cupid went down for his wound rumors began to spread, and Venus quickly learns that her son has fell in love with the very girl she instructed him to destroy.  In this section Venus sets out for Psyche herself, and initially Psyche is running from her seeking help from other goddesses who quickly turn her away.  In these sections you see how much of an "innocent child" Cupid really is. He lies around waiting for his shoulder to heal, depicting how fragile the Olympians could be.  Although Psyche is pregnant with his child she ventures the world looking for him, and will eventually stand up to her mother-in-law.  She shows a lot of courage and strength.

(Chariot of Venus, Pietro da Cortona)

Venus and Psyche, Psyche's Next Task, The Third Task, The Jar of Beauty:  Venus takes all her rage out on poor Psyche, and even insists that her child is illegitimate since she and Cupid did not marry traditionally.  She sends Psyche through many trials in order to humiliate her, with intentions of finding a reason to eliminate her. This reminds me of the many evil stepmothers in many fairy tales. Though no matter what tasks she sets her on, helpers come from different places to help Psyche complete all that she is set to do.  Finally, on her last  task, she has been sent to the underworld to obtain beauty from the goddess Proserpine.  I do think this section seems unfair on Psyche, especially since she is pregnant, but I do applaud her for following suit in order to see her husband again.

(Psyche in the Underworld, by Hillemacher)

The Sleep of the Dead:  In this section I am glad to see that Cupid can actually be a hero, and he plans to save his love and his beloved.  He saves  his wife from her curiosity, when she opens the vial Proserpine gives her, and before his mother can hear of his escape he visits Jupiter for aid.


The Wedding Feast: This is one of my favorite parts of the story, and it is truly a happy ending.  I was pleased that Jupiter was in Cupid's favor, and he calmed the feud between Psyche and Venus.

(Cupid and Psyche's Wedding, by Raphael)