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Spoiler: They Took a Flying Leap || Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche Part A


Without the flying part...

  • A story within a story. 
  • The old woman tells the girl not to worry about the "fantasy" of the dream. She claims that dreams during the day are false and that nightmares usually signal the opposite of their content. 
    • This seems kind of contrary to dreams in many other myths or legends, as they can be prophetic. Especially nightmares.
  • Prohibition: (The first one was to not even talk to her sisters. But the husband eventually relents on that.) The actual prohibition was not to investigate the appearance of the husband.
  • "Not even Cupid could compare to you." - There's some irony for you.
  • Psyche does use her seductive powers to get what she wants for the most part.
  • Zephyr the West Wind is hardly mentioned in this telling of the story (at least so far) but could be relegated to a more important role in a retelling.
    • Maybe make Zephyr the close friend or best friend of Cupid. One who delights in the love that his friend has found. Zephyr could even be the one who exacts revenge on the sisters while Cupid and Psyche are both immobilized by grief.
    • Zephyr on Wikipedia 
    • More information on Zephyr
  • "If it takes after its father as it ought, it will be a perfect little Cupid.” - The wordplay in this story is fun. It definitely could be a style to copy.
  • Somewhat of a side-lesson but it would have possibly helped if Psyche had remembered to keep her lies straight. This could be interpreted as a lesson about not lying in the first place or maybe just lying better.
  • In a way, the story could be about the temptation of the unknown or the temptation of being free to do all things but one. I am reminded of a quote that went something like "If I showed you a hundred doors and told you that you could enter all but one, which would you most desire to see behind?"
Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss by Antonio Canova


Story Information
Author: Apuleius
Translator: Tony Kline
Cupid and Psyche from the larger work The Golden Ass

Photo Credits:
Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss

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