Cupid and Psyche from Wikimedia
My note taking strategy for this week was to focus on the plot. There were many times while reading that I tried to predict what was going to happen. I looked for foreshadowing and marked where I was surprised. Turns out I wasn't that good at predicting the future plot of the story. Normally, I like to think I am good at this, but the classical nature of this story must have thrown me off (so I tell myself to save my ego). To make things easier for my future self, I took my notes in bullet list format. My notes are similar to a story summary, but not quite. I wrote it in a way so that I will be reminded of things later, which I think is helpful for myself.
Notes:
- The story starts following a plot point, a robbery. It seems this part of the story is unrelated to Cupid and Psyche.
- It starts out with a donkey speaking as a human, although it is not revealed he is a human-donkey. One must gather this... that or it is revealed in part B.
- Interestingly, Lucius (the donkey) refers to his human form as if it is someone other than himself.
- The robbers try to be somewhat accommodating of their girl prisoner, despite the fact that they stole her for ransom. Surprising.
- The prisoner girl used was one round-about way of saying that she can't stop crying because they've taken her from her lush environment... the language in this story is round-about throughout.
- An old lady is portrayed as kind, but it turns out she is a part of the thieves greed and grows annoyed with the prisoner girls sobbing. Her annoyance took me off guard.
- This story is full of super long sentences, made longer through a number of commas. The sentences go on, and on, and on.
- At this point, the story goes into another story, a story-ception of sorts. This is now the story of Cupid and Psyche.
- Here is an instance of foreshadowing... the story talks about how the people keep praising Psyche and treating her as a new Venus. Venus's shrines are being ignored, so I bet she gets angry and tries to kill Psyche. Or something.
- It turns out she does indeed get mad and do something about it. That was a solid prediction.
- Venus uses her son to get back at Psyche. I predicted he would make an ugly man fall in love with Psyche and that psyche would end up enjoying his presence because of the lack of affection in her life, but the story did not turn out this way at all. I was so wrong. It turns out that Cupid decides to wed her instead, but conceals his identity, despite being beautiful.
- Sorry, random thought insert. Venus kissed her son long and tenderly with parted lips???? Interesting family customs....
- At this point, the plot introduces a terrible prophecy which gets the ball rolling. Now Psyche is faced with the punishment incited by Venus.
- Despite this being a terrible fate, she is met with riches and kindness at her new husband's mansion. It appears the prophecy is wrong and that nothing bad will happen to her, but she ends up messing it up for herself later on.
- Sorry, another random thought insert. Dang, he takes her v-card, just like that. No hello, hi, my name is _____ and I am your new husband? Cold. And also rape-y.
- At this point, she starts to feel imprisoned by her new luxurious life. I guess I wouldn't either tbh. This defied my expectations. I never expected her to miss her old life, but I should have since this was compared to Beauty and the Beast.
- She seduced him so she could bring her sisters with her to the palace, but this ends up being her downfall. The sisters who were so sad about her being dead turned into greedy little monsters when they found she was living amongst riches. Their ill-meant advice ends up smashing her world.
- Psyche ends up discovering who her husband is and she loses him.
- Psyche got her revenge on her deceitful sisters after Cupid leaves her, bringing part A to a close.
Personally, I would change so much about this story. Psyche needs to be more independent... her reliance on her family is what lead her to this situation with her sisters (although if she hadn't been forced to marry Cupid, none of this would have happened either... no victim blaming). I would also like to introduce consent to this story. I want Psyche to go to Cupid on her own, not due to some prophecy. I also want her to not get raped by him as soon as she meets him. I mean, the story conveys it as them consummating their marriage, but it was awkward. Why are the classics like this?? Oh yeah, patriarchy.
Bibliography
Cupid and Psyche taken from the story The Golden Ass by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline
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