Literature
Cupid & Psyche
Presented by:
Muna and Raghda
Greco-Roman
From: Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew by Josephine P. Peabody. London: George Harrap, 1910. pp. 89-103.
The Usage of Elements of the Myth in the Novel: Love is a misery
| “Love’s bring joy or sorrow for a whole life long.” (p.89) | “love makes half the misery of the world; it has been the bane of my life—it has made me what I am, a man without ambition, hope, or happiness.” (Yorke, p.150) |
The Houses
| Psyche moves from her father’s house into her husband’s house. | Cecil moves from Yorke’s first house –when he is her guardian- to a newer house when he is her husband. |
| The first house in both tales is fancy, yet the second is fancier. | |
| “A fountain fluttered gladly in the midst of it, and beyond there stretched a white palace wonderful to see… It was all kinglier than her father’s home …The lordly rooms, beautiful with everything that could delight a young princess. No pleasant thing was lacking. There was even a pool, brightly tiled and fed with running waters.” (p.90) | “a long, lofty hall, softly lightened by the sunshine that crept in through screens of flowers and vines. A carpet, green and thick as forest moss, lay underfoot; warm-hued pictures leaned from the walls, and all about in graceful alcoves stood Yorke’s statues, like fit inhabitants of this artist’s home. Before three wide windows airy draperies swayed in the wind, showing glimpses of a balcony the overhung the sea, whose ever-varying loveliness was a perpetual joy” (p.197) |
| “All that you see is yours” (p.90) | “yes, this is home.” (Yorke, p.197) |
Monstrous Husband
| “She shall be given to one who waits for her on yonder mountain; he overcomes gods and men.” Later described as “monster.” (p. 90) | “Mr. Yorke had a love trouble and can’t bear women, so none dare go near him.” (p.135) |
| “Surely he whom the Oracle had called her husband was no monster, but some beneficent power, invisible like all the rest. “ (p. 90) | “O Bazil, so generous, so gentle, why did I not know this sooner, and thank you as I ought?” (p.230) |
The Gaze
| “At that moment Psyche was asleep in her chamber; but he touched her heart with his golden arrow of love, and she opened her eyes so suddenly that he started.” (p.89) | “For many minutes Bazil Yorke watched the unconscious child, as if there was some strong attraction for him in the studious little figure.” (p.136) |
Mount Olympus vs. Yorke’s Studio
| “(Cupid) hastened up to Olympus.” (p.103) | “Cecil climbed the winding stairs.” (p.140) |
| “All the younger gods were for welcoming Psyche at once… The maiden came, a shy newcomer among these bright creatures. She took the cup that Hebe held out to her, drank the divine ambrosia, and became immortal.” (p.103) | “Cecil found so much that was inviting, she forgot fear in delight… A smiling woman seemed to beckon to her, a winged child to offer flowers, and all about the room pale gods and goddesses looked down upon her from their pedestals with what to her beauty-loving eye seemed varying expressions of welcome.” (p.140) |
Psyche Hurts Love
| “Poor Psyche was overcome with self-reproach. As she leaned towards him, filled with worship, her trembling hands held the lamp ill, and some burning oil fell upon Love’s shoulder and awakened him.” (p.92) | “The beautiful Psyche lay headless on the ground, but the girl scarcely saw it, for half underneath it lay Yorke, pale and senseless.” (p. 162) “I never thought my Psyche would cause me so much suffering, but I forgive her for her beauty’s sake.” (Yorke, p. 164) |
| Psyche/Cecil repents: “Why, here’s my Psyche mended and mounted again!” (Yorke, p. 163) |
Fearless Female Characters
Cecil and Psyche were both courageous and faced all they had to go though with great determination and persistence till finally they reached love.
Hebe: The Goddess of Youth or the Prime of Life
| “She took the cup that Hebe held out to her, drank the divine ambrosia, and became immortal.” (p.103) | “.. the wavy masses of her dark hair were gathered up with a fillet, giving her the head of a young Hebe.” (p. 144) |
Conclusion
Louisa May Alcott implements many elements from the Myth into the novel indirectly, majorly the overcoming of obstacles to reach the ultimate love and marriage.
The Usage of Psyche and Cupid in the Novel: Cecil and Psyche
p. 144
“Colorless, like a plant deprived of sunshine, strangely unyouthful in the quiet grace of her motions, the sweet seriousness of her expression, but as beautiful as the psyche and almost as cold.”
Foretelling
p.144-145
“The little god was just drawing an arrow from his quiver with an arch smile, and the girl watched him with one almost as gay."
Who is the real Cupid?
P.145 “Don’t fire again, little Cupid, I surrender.” (Alfred)
P.148 “he turned away to examine the Cupid which Alfred had not accepted”
P.148 “What suggested the idea of this Cecil?
…You did!
…Your making Psyche suggested Cupid, for though you did not
tell me the pretty fable, Alf did, and told me how my image
should be made.”
“Cecil, already secretly in love with Yorke, chooses to stay with Yorke, and become his ideal woman, a marble woman.” (McCullough, p.61)
p.151
“A marble woman like your Psyche, with no heart to love you, only grace and beauty to please your eye and bring you honor; is that what you would have me?” (Cecil)
“Yes, I would have you beautiful and passionless as Psyche, a creature to admire..” (Yorke)
“I am done with love! And lifting the little Cupid let it drop broken at her feet.” (Cecil)
The transformation of a woman into a statue is difficult, and in the end, impossible, because female passion cannot be contained. (McCullough p.62)
References:
McCullough, K. “Louisa May Alcott's Incestuous Fathers and Fiendish Mothers, or, the Daughter As Wife.” Pacific Coast Philology, vol. 26, no. 1/2, 1991, pp. 59–67.
www.jstor.org/stable/1316556.
Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew by Josephine P. Peabody. London: George Harrap, 1910. pp. 89-103.
Pelsue, B. (2017, Aug 3). The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjj_-CPxjCM