Psyche was a young woman who felt that her incredible beauty was more of a curse than a blessing. People admired her so much that they compared her to Venus, the goddess of love. However, this admiration made it hard for her to find real love, as everyone was too intimidated to approach her.
When Psyche’s father asked the Oracle of Apollo for advice, he was told to leave her on a rocky cliff to marry a fierce creature. Alone and scared, Psyche felt the gentle breeze of Zephyr, the West Wind, lift her up and place her in front of a magnificent palace. A mysterious voice welcomed her, saying, “You are home. Your husband awaits you in the bedroom, if you dare to meet him.” Psyche gathered her courage and entered the dark room.
In the darkness, Psyche couldn’t see her husband, but he was kind and gentle. He told her that she should never ask about his identity. As time passed, Psyche fell in love with him, and they were expecting a child. However, she was curious and wanted to see the face of the man she loved.
One night, Psyche lit an oil lamp to see her husband and discovered that he was Cupid, the god of love. Startled, she accidentally burned him with the lamp. Cupid explained that he had fallen in love with her despite his mother Venus’s plan to embarrass her. He believed that gods and humans couldn’t love each other equally, and he flew away, leaving Psyche heartbroken.
Determined to find Cupid, Psyche set out on a journey. Venus, however, challenged her with a series of impossible tasks to prove her worthiness. The first task was to sort a massive pile of seeds in one night. Just as Psyche was about to give up, a colony of ants helped her complete the task.
Next, Psyche had to collect the fleece of dangerous golden sheep. A river god showed her how to gather the fleece caught on bushes, and she succeeded. Her final task was to travel to the Underworld and ask Proserpina, the queen of the dead, for a drop of her beauty in a box for Venus. Guided by the mysterious voice, Psyche brought barley cakes for Cerberus, the guard dog, and coins for Charon, the boatman, to cross the river Styx. She completed the task and returned to the living world.
Outside Venus’s palace, Psyche opened the box, hoping to keep some of the beauty for herself. Instead, the box contained sleep, and she collapsed. Cupid, now healed, found her and realized that her bravery showed she was his equal. He gave her ambrosia, the nectar of the gods, making her immortal. They soon had a daughter named Pleasure, and together, they have been influencing love ever since.
Illustrate the key events of the myth of Cupid and Psyche by creating a storyboard. Use six panels to depict the main scenes, such as Psyche’s encounter with the Oracle, her discovery of Cupid’s identity, and her completion of Venus’s tasks. This will help you visualize the narrative and understand the sequence of events.
Write a series of diary entries from the perspective of Psyche. Describe her emotions and thoughts during significant moments in the story, such as when she first meets Cupid or when she faces Venus’s challenges. This activity will help you explore Psyche’s character development and motivations.
Participate in a debate where you and your classmates take on the roles of different characters from the myth, such as Psyche, Cupid, Venus, and the Oracle. Discuss the motivations and actions of each character, and argue whether their decisions were justified. This will enhance your understanding of character dynamics and themes.
Create a map that traces Psyche’s journey throughout the myth. Mark significant locations, such as the rocky cliff, the palace, and the Underworld. Include brief descriptions of what happened at each location. This activity will help you connect the story’s events with their settings.
Write a modern version of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. Update the setting and characters to fit a contemporary context while maintaining the original themes and lessons. Share your retelling with the class to see how the myth’s messages can be applied to today’s world.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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“Beauty is a curse,” Psyche thought as she looked over the cliff’s edge where she’d been abandoned by her father. She had been born with such physical perfection that she was worshipped as a new incarnation of Venus, the goddess of love. However, real-life human lovers were too intimidated to approach her.
When her father sought guidance from the Oracle of Apollo, he was told to abandon his daughter on a rocky crag where she would marry a cruel and savage creature. Alone on the crag, Psyche felt Zephyr, the West Wind, gently lifting her into the air and setting her down before a palace. “You are home,” she heard an unseen voice say. “Your husband awaits you in the bedroom, if you dare to meet him.” Psyche reassured herself that she was brave enough.
The bedroom was so dark that she couldn’t see her husband, but he didn’t feel frightening at all. His skin was soft, and his voice and manner were gentle. When she asked him who he was, he told her that this was the one question he could never answer. If she loved him, she would not need to know. His visits continued night after night, and before long, Psyche was pregnant. She rejoiced but felt conflicted about raising her baby with a man she had never seen.
That night, Psyche approached her sleeping husband holding an oil lamp. What she discovered was Cupid, the god who inspires love among gods and humans. In her surprise, Psyche dropped her lamp, accidentally burning Cupid. He revealed that he had fallen in love with her after his jealous mother, Venus, asked him to embarrass her. However, Cupid had used the arrow on himself instead. He believed that gods and humans could not love as equals, and now that Psyche knew his true form, their hopes for happiness were dashed, and he flew away.
Psyche was left in despair until the unseen voice returned, assuring her that it was indeed possible for her and Cupid to love each other as equals. Encouraged, she set out to find him. However, Venus intercepted Psyche and declared that she and Cupid could only wed if she completed a series of impossible tasks.
First, Psyche was tasked with sorting a huge, messy pile of seeds in a single night. Just as she was losing hope, an ant colony took pity on her and helped her complete the task. Next, Psyche had to bring Venus the fleece of the golden sheep, known for being dangerous to adventurers. A river god showed her how to collect the fleece that had snagged on briars, and she succeeded.
Finally, Psyche had to travel to the Underworld and convince Proserpina, queen of the dead, to put a drop of her beauty in a box for Venus. Once again, the unseen voice guided Psyche, instructing her to bring barley cakes for Cerberus, the guard dog of the Underworld, and coins to pay Charon, the boatman, to ferry her across the river Styx. After completing her final task, Psyche returned to the land of the living.
Just outside Venus’s palace, she opened the box of Proserpina’s beauty, hoping to keep some for herself. However, the box was filled with sleep, not beauty, and Psyche collapsed in the road. Cupid, now healed, flew to his sleeping bride. He realized he had been wrong and foolish. Her bravery in the face of the unknown proved that she was more than his equal. Cupid gave Psyche ambrosia, the nectar of the gods, making her immortal. Shortly after, Psyche gave birth to their daughter, whom they named Pleasure. Together, Psyche, Cupid, and their daughter have been influencing people’s love lives ever since.
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This version maintains the essence of the story while removing any potentially sensitive or inappropriate content.
Myth – A traditional story, often involving supernatural beings or events, that explains a natural or social phenomenon. – In English class, we read a myth about how the seasons were created.
Beauty – A quality that gives pleasure to the senses or exalts the mind or spirit. – The beauty of the poet’s language captivated everyone in the classroom.
Love – A deep affection or attachment towards someone or something. – The novel explored the theme of love between the two main characters.
Husband – A married man considered in relation to his spouse. – In the story, the husband went on a quest to find a cure for his wife’s illness.
Tasks – Pieces of work to be done or undertaken. – The hero was given three difficult tasks to prove his worthiness.
Journey – An act of traveling from one place to another, often with a significant purpose. – The protagonist’s journey across the country was filled with unexpected challenges.
Identity – The characteristics, feelings, or beliefs that distinguish people from others. – The novel dealt with the main character’s struggle to find her true identity.
Palace – A large and stately residence, especially one for royalty or a head of state. – The prince lived in a grand palace filled with beautiful art and treasures.
Immortal – Living forever; not subject to death. – The legend spoke of an immortal being who watched over the ancient city.
Courage – The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery. – The character showed great courage when he stood up to the villain.
