Cupid and Psyche

21
Cupid and Psyche by Francois Gerard (1770- 1837) Greek and Roman Mythology

description

Greek and Roman Mythology. Cupid and Psyche. by Francois Gerard (1770-1837). Psyche by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1892. There was once a king who had three daughters, but the youngest, Psyche , excelled her sisters. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Cupid and Psyche

Page 1: Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche

by Francois Gerard (1770-1837)

Greek and Roman Mythology

Page 2: Cupid and Psyche

Psyche by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1892.

• There was once a king who had three daughters, but the youngest, Psyche, excelled her sisters.

• As word spread of Psyche’s beauty, worship of the actual goddess was neglected and Venus got mightily pissed.

Page 3: Cupid and Psyche

• Venus summoned her winged son [Cupid] and implored him to make Psyche fall in love with “the vilest and most despicable creature.” (p.96)

Page 4: Cupid and Psyche

• Unfortunately for Aphrodite, Cupid found Psyche just as lovely as everyone else. He himself fell in love with Psyche.

Page 5: Cupid and Psyche

Psyche’s Parents Offering Sacrifice to Apollo by Luca Giordano, 1692-1702.

• Cupid begged Apollo to help him, giving an oracle to let Psyche’s family bring her to the summit of a rocky hill, saying that “her destined husband, a fearful winged serpent, stronger than the gods themselves, would come to her and make her his wife.” (P. 97)

Page 6: Cupid and Psyche

Psyche Served by Invisible Spirits by Luca Giordano, 1692-1702.

• Cupid gave Psyche servants, a mansion to live in, and all the gifts; however, he bid Psyche not to steal a glance at him.

Page 7: Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche by Jaques-Louis David, 1817.

• Cupid himself always appeared at night and left before sunrise.

• Without seeing her husband, Psyche knew that he was not a monster but a lover she longed for.

Page 8: Cupid and Psyche

Psyche Showing Her Sisters Her Gifts From Eros by Jean-Honore Fragonard, 1753.

• It was not until Psyche’s sisters visited that she was persuaded her to take a look of Cupid.

Page 9: Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and PsycheJean-Baptiste Regnault

• Psyche gazed at the sleeping Cupid.

• The unsteady hands made “some hot oil fall from the lamp upon Cupid’s shoulder,” making him awake.

• Cupid left as he said “love cannot live where there is no trust.” (P. 100)

Page 10: Cupid and Psyche

Psyche at the Throne of Aphrodite by Edward Hale, 1883.

• Psyche found Cupid no where so she went to Venus for help.

• Venus hated Psyche, thereby she gave Psyche difficult tasks.

Page 11: Cupid and Psyche

All the tasks Psyche had were helped by others

• Task 1: sorted seeds, wheat and poppy and millet and so on. (Helped by ants)

• Task 2: fetched some shinning wool from sheep with fleeces of gold. (Helped by reed)

• Task 3: get the black water from the waterfall of river Styx. (Helped by an eagle)

Page 12: Cupid and Psyche

Venus Punishing Psyche with a Task by Luca Giordano, 1692-1702.

Page 13: Cupid and Psyche

The last task

• Put some of Proserpine’s beauty into a box.

• Curiosity drove Psyche to open the box.

Page 14: Cupid and Psyche

• However, there was nothing in the box but “a deadly languor.” (P. 104)

• It took possession of her and Psyche fell into a heavy sleep.

Page 15: Cupid and Psyche

• “Cupid was healed of his wound” and found Psyche. (P. 104)

• Cupid woke Psyche with a prick from one of his arrows.

Page 16: Cupid and Psyche

• Cupid pleaded Jupiter to make Psyche his wife and immortal.

Page 17: Cupid and Psyche

• Jupiter: “Even though you have done me great harm in the past – seriously injured my good name and my dignity by making me change myself into a bull and a swan and so on…. However, I cannot refuse you.” (P. 104)

Cupid Pleads with Jupiter by Raphael, 1517-18.

Page 18: Cupid and Psyche

• The assemblage of gods consent Cupid and Psyche’s marriage. Venus found it “ok” as well since Psyche “could not be much on the earth to turn men’s heads and interfere with her own worship” (P. 104)

Page 19: Cupid and Psyche

“So all came to a most happy end. Love and soul

(for this is what Psyche means) had sought and, after some trials, found

each other; and that union could never be broken.”

(P. 104)

Page 20: Cupid and Psyche

The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche by Pompeo Batoni, 1756

Page 21: Cupid and Psyche

Q&A• Cupid and Psyche’s story is a very romantic

one. From the story we learn that it is a difficult matter to keep “Love” imprisoned. Please describe the moment you find the most romantic. ^^

• Compare and contrast stories of love from western and eastern culture, what do you find? Is there any specific feature in love story for either culture?