1. Cupid and Psyche
Cupid
Psyche
Plot outline
Archetypes/themes

2. Cupid Son of Aphrodite—goddess of Love and Beauty
Wings; Bow and Arrow—shoots arrows into lovers
Immortal like major gods
Falls in love with Psyche

3. Psyche So beautiful people were praising her and ignoring Aphrodite
Was punished by Aphrodite for her beauty
Betrayed Cupid’s trust
Did “penance” until Cupid forgave her

4. Plot Outline Aphrodite jealous of Psyche
Aphrodite/Venus sent Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a hideous creature
Cupid falls in love with her instead
Psyche has admirers but no lovers (Cupid)
She was left on a summit to meet what was believed to be her doom
She was brought to a mansion with servants
Psyche’s husband, Cupid, visited her only at night

5. Plot Outline—cont. Psyche visits sisters—misses them
Cupid was leery—warned her not to look at him
Psyche’s sisters convince her that her husband is a monster/serpent
She fought with self—did she want assurance or not; trust issue.
She looks at him with candle/knife in hand
Cupid flees after being burned; love can’t live where there is no trust

6. Plot Outline—cont.
Psyche commits to showing Cupid how much she loves him/making it up to him/penance
Venus gives her impossible tasks to complete; she accomplished all of them with help
Cupid’s “wound” healed; ready to forgive
After Venus relents at Zeus’s behest, Cupid and Psyche marry and immortality is bestowed upon her

7. Archetypes/themes Faith/loyalty/trust Envy/jealousy/treachery
Redemption/forgiveness
Transcendence