The fairy tale of “Beauty and the Beast” was strongly influenced by the myth of Eros (better known as Cupid) and Psyche. Both are stories of love being tested by outward show. Beauty and Psyche both fail the test at first, as beauty does not learn to love the Beast until he lies dying, while Psyche believes her sisters’ story that her husband is a murderous monster. Beauty is literally confronted with a Beast; however it is only in Psyche’s imagination that Eros is anything but a most desirable god in the shape of a man. In the fairy tale both Beauty and the Beast have something to learn before they can fully love one another. In the myth, there are numerous ordeals for Psyche but not for Eros, who manages to stay hidden at his mother’s (Aphrodite) house while his beloved is suffering. (Why am I not surprised ?)
Perhaps this helps to explain, why Eros is often depicted as a little boy who never grows up.
(The myth of Eros-Psyche and Psyche’s ordeals is worth reading!)
Source : Mythology – Myths, Legends, & Fantasies, Ed. Parker Janet, Stanton Julie
© Global Book Publishing Pty Ltd, 2003
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6 comments:
Its the beauty in the beast and the beast in the beauty. WILD AND WICKED!
Hii Geets..Thanks for adding me on your blog roll..do send me your email id...if it doesn't bother u :) Take care and have a nice time :)
I like mythology of this kind.The Agony & The Ecstasy.
More appealing to me of this genre is the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.
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Eurydice and Orpheus were young and in love. So deep was their love that they were practically inseparable. Eurdice was happily running through a meadow with Orpheus when she was bitten by a serpent. The poison of the sting killed her and she descended to Hades immediately.
Orpheus was son of the great Olympian god Apollo. In many ways Apollo was the god of music and Orpheus was blessed with musical talents. Orpheus was so sad about the loss of his love that he composed music to express the terrible emptiness which pervaded his every breath and movement. He was so desperate and found so little else meaningful, that he decided address Hades. As the overseer of the underworld, Hades heart had to be hard as steel, and so it was. Many approached Hades to beg for loved ones back and as many times were refused. But Orpheus' music was so sweet and so moving that it softened the steel hearted heart of Hades himself.
Hades gave permission to Orpheus to bring Eurydice back to the surface of the earth to enjoy the light of day. There was only one condition--Orpheus was not to look back as he ascended. He was to trust that Eurydice was immediately behind him. It was a long way back up and just as Orpheus had almost finished that last part of the trek, he looked behind him to make sure Eurydice was still with him. At that very moment, she was snatched back because he did not trust that she was there. When you hear music which mourns lost love, it is Orpheus' spirit who guides the hand of the musicians who play it.
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In fact Orpheus was one of the "Argonauts"..
Hey Pratima - my e-id is on my profile if you want to email me! I'd added you to my blog roll quite a while ago...you just noticed?
Paddy -
Orpheus wandered around the world desolate after the second loss of his wife. He was finally killed by the Maenads, who were offended when he didn't give them attention. They cut his head off and kept it singing as it floated down the river Hebrus to Lesbos, where he was finally given a proper burial and his shade descnded to the underworld, where he was finally reunited with his wife.
:-) -- The tale of Orfeo and Euridice was subject of Christoph Willibald Gluck's (1714-1787) opera of the same name. Its a must hear - especially the opening of the second act - titled "Dance of the Blessed Spirits".
Gee,
Hmm..Love re-united in the Nether-world :-).I am enlightened by this afterword.Not sure if I read it.You sure know your greek mythology.
Deepak,
Thanks for the factoid.I learnt something new today.
BTW the legend of Orpheus is the theme of Salman Rushdie's "The Ground Beneath her Feet".
Appreciate it guys..
-paddy
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