The Greek mythology serves as the primary repository for old Greek teachings. The gods, heroes, and characteristics of the universe were central themes in the myths and teachings. To clarify and comprehend the character of the stories, contemporary scholars turn to the study of myths. Greek mythology is the subject of a huge variety of stories as well as realistic artworks like votive offerings. Greek myths were primarily created to attempt to explain the beginning of the earth as well as specifics regarding the exploits of heroes, heroines, gods, goddesses, and other mythical creatures. The majority of the tales come from Greek literature. Medieval Greek literary sources include Homer’s epic poems, classical and Hellenistic periods (Hard 2).
The Greek myths have made a significant impact on art, culture and Western Civilization literature. The poets in Greek and medieval artists have their poems and artwork translated to present contemporary importance and remain relevant in the themes. The creation myths or myths of origin explain in detail the beginnings of the universe and about human language. The accepted version of myths of creation was written by Hesiod in his Theogony. He starts with chaos, which is void nothingness and from the void, they arose the Gaia that is the earth and other primary creatures such as Eros meaning (love), Erebus and Abyss the Tartarus (Hard 21). Gaia gave birth to Uranus the sky without any male assistance, and the union expanded from the two. Among this myth, there are other myths which are also regarded as significant to the Greeks’ history (Hard 31).
The Myth of Cupid and Psyche
The myth of Cupid and Psyche is a fascinating story that depicts true love. Psyche means the deity of the soul and Cupid means love or Eros. Cupid and Psyche have been told time and again in different instances even in today’s literature and artworks. The original story is the metamorphoses also called the Golden Ass was written by Lucius Apuleius (Papaioannou 302). Even in the religious world, the Greek myth has been commonly used. Even to date, many sculptures get based on the myth. The discussion of the myth, as well as the analytical meaning and its history through the 17th and 18th century and the middle ages, is thus necessary. The artwork from the tale and modern interpretations are equally important.
Psyche was a beautiful girl that had two older sisters. Everyone was stunned by her beauty that they forgot about the goddess Aphrodite/Venus (Papaioannou 303). This made the goddess angry as she felt her temples are falling. She, therefore, decided to destroy Psyche by asking her son named Cupid to kill her using an arrow. However, when Cupid saw her, he fell in love with her radiance and shot himself instead. Fear struck the family of Psyche as they thought that despite her beauty, she would not find a husband to marry. The analysis of the Psyche and Cupid story shows a lot of character of the gods and the humans in the context of love and purity
The story depicted genuine love. Initially, Psyche had a significant doubt of this love. She felt that she must see Cupid in the flesh. She got a great redemption after proving her commitment in several instances. The two belonged together in a union that was inseparable. Cupid then got a strong desire to be with Psyche when he saw the soul in its beauty. The part where the family was worried that Psyche would not get a husband further pointed out something. All men admired her beauty. However, it did not give way to the type of love that resulted in marriage. Nonetheless, Cupid completely saw and enjoyed her beauty (Haskell and Adam n.p).
The happy conclusion of the story also showed that when love was genuine and pure, all obstacles had to be overcome. Psyche proves that love should be defended by all means. In fact, the contemporary author C.S Lewis drew on that statement in his work Till We Have Faces (Haskell and Adam n.p).
Psyche was a rare type of character who showed that a female could act as a male hero. In as much as other characters such as Artemis played the role of men, none stood out to have such a heroic might as Psyche. She boldly overcame all the obstacles in her way (Revolvy n.p). Additionally, she began as a person and ended as an immortal being. The transition makes the audience to seek answers to spirituality. One wonders whether the soul was of the earth or heaven. One can also question what changes occurred when Psyche became immortal (Revolvy n.p). The myth also displayed differences between gods and humans. Venus was a jealous being as mortal Psyche drew other men from her. In the universe, the soul was beautiful, but it encountered many obstacles and trials. The restoration of peace was only after the heart reached heaven.
The myth was also depictive of some of the storylines that interlocked in myths. Psyche went to the Persephone in the underworld. The box of Persephone was a reminder of Pandora; this is particularly the case since Psyche opened the box to have a look at its content. The River had also been mentioned just like Venus and Zeus. The way the tales were interconnected raises questions about chronology. Apart from the creation of the earth, the rest of the timeline was hard to determine. One cannot tell which story took place before the other. The overlapping showed the unification in the depiction of one world in which all characters and stories lived (Revolvy n.p).
A modern interpretation
The Psyche and Cupid myth; on the valentine's day of 2014, Turn produced a five-act version of the Eros as well as soul. The film made an exploration of the nature of lust that was unbounded and then changed. It had an incorporation of both the Moliere rhyming and the Elizabethan iambic pentameter.
Often, this myth dorminates in various visual media. The exemplary representation of Psyche was that of a winged butterfly that was also her common attribute. It was also an image of the soul. In the old literature, there was an iconographical tradition that was different from Apuleius tale. It influenced subsequent depictions. In antiquity, the myth could have mystical or religious meaning. In Britain, some gems got engraved with the picture of Cupid touching a butterfly; this was symbolic of the spiritual torment.
The two characters were held with great relief, and they were represented in the traditional wares found in Ancient Silk Road in Afghanistan. The famous allegory was also that of pairing. It depicts human love that was integrated into body and soul. In the late antiquity, they were shown as "chin-chuck" embrace; this was symbolic of erotic communion with a very distant history. The other representation that had survived on was the papyrus illustration of a possible tale. The other was a ceiling fresco at Trier whose executions took place under the leadership of Constantine.
One controversial thing about Cupid and Psyche story was the depiction of nudity. It had offended the current sensibilities of the time. William page’s work was banned in 1840 by the National Academy of Art. The work had been referred to as the most erotic painting in America. The realistic nudity was the traditional subject matter of the myth. Currently, the image of Psyche alone had been used to illustrate not just a scene from Apuleius but also a broader spiritual tradition. In tradition love was a significant force that shaped an individual.
The Golden Ass Myth
This story depicts the protagonist’s curiosity and great yearning for magical practices. Lucius is a protagonist who was trying to do a spell using magic to change himself into a bird but ended up turning into a Golden Ass. He then tried to find his way back. This long journey entails literal and metaphorical as well as inset tales.
The story
Lucius was on a business journey to Thessaly on a business and on his way, he came across a traveler and Aristomene who was telling a story about a sword swallower. The traveler did not believe the story. Lucius heard them arguing and promised to buy him lunch if he retells the story. Upon listening to the story, Lucius was eager to try the magic. They then stayed with Milo his wife Pamphile at Hypata. The narrator then went to the market to buy fish for his friend Pytheas. He returned hungry as well as empty-handed.
Lucius visited his aunts who warned him severally about Milo’s wife. They insisted that she was an evil witch who could kill him anytime. Lucius then went back while still interested in being a witch. He later met Thelyphron who related on how witches cut off her nose and ears. He slays three robbers on his way back to his friend’s house (Thomas 66). Lucius was taken to court and arrested for killing three men and later Photis, a slave who Lucius had sex with. Lucius then watched Pamphile turning herself into a witch. He then tried to do the same but ended up turning into a Golden Ass. Photis then advised him to feed on roses to regain his original form.
Lucius was wandering around the garden looking for roses, but a dog and gardener chased him off. Later, thieves came to Milo’s house and stole the Golden Ass. The thieves were talking about another criminal who had been killed while dressed in a bear costume. A young woman (Charite) was kidnapped by the thieves. She started crying, and the senior woman started narrating the story of Psyche and Cupid to her. (Thomas 67)
Lucious and the young woman tried to escape but failed and were to face death punishment. A man then came to the thieves and asked them not to kill the captives but to sell them. The man who was the young lady’s fiancé (Charite), revealed himself to her and got the thieves drunk and killed them all (Thomas 69).
Tlepolemus and Charite were later announced dead. When the slaves heard about the death of their master, they chose to run away but were mistaken for robbers and were killed. Lucius was sold to a Catamite priest. Rabid dogs attacked Lucius when he tried to escape. The priests then tried to make sure that he was not infected. He was later sold to a baker. During his labor, he had chances to hear many unusual things. Examples included tales of the jealous husband, and tales of the fuller’s wife as well as tales of the woman’s tub. The theme of these stories was adultery. Lucius was later sold to a farmer. The story of the oppressing landlord unfolded in this instance. (Thomas 75) The farmer assaulted Lucius but was later found out and was jailed. The Golden Ass had inset stories which included Aristomenes' tales, the Thelyphron’s tale, the tale of Cupid and Psyche, a tale of the wife’s tub, a tale of the jealous husband, a story of the fuller’s wife, and the tale of the murderous wife.
A modern interpretation
The Golden Ass relates to the fact that most people are resistant to the moral and civic corruption of their age; others do not participate in the flouting of the decorum and degradation of bodies. Therefore, determinism and fatalism are among of the modern innovation, with the civilization which keeps growing, people learn to uphold their customs and forms. Moderns invoke the biological and sociological mechanism to absolve people from their infractions the omission or commission. In ancient times, super humans played with the lives of those who were powerless. Under the doctrine of fate, desire propels the subject like an irresistible destiny. People cheat, betray, and even murder one another irrespective of their morals and traditions. They owe the older, healthier and non-disgruntled world responsibility and obligation.
The Myth of Medieval Art
The medieval took place between 300AD to the beginning of a renaissance in 1400AD. In the middle ages, the Catholic Church was involved in several projects among which included the Romans’ catacombs beneath the city that preserved the Christian art. The church had been built in two power centers in Rome and Constantinople around 350 AD. Ancient artists painted and decorated most worshipping places, and their works received public appreciation by using their sleek themes. Romans had had their mosaics built with small stones cubes called tesserae which were given by the Christian church. Early Christian’s mosaics used muted colors like the traditional collections.
In the eleventh century, Romanesque symbolized the increasing wealth of European country as well as the power of the church. Semi-circular arches, thick stones walls and solid construction were used to mark the churches. St Sernin, the church in Toulouse France in 1070-1077 was built with a stone barrel vault roofing. It was marked as a model of the Romanesque. The Gothic came in the12th century and was named after the Goths who were ruling France. The gothic cathedrals symbolized the most breathtaking and timeless accomplishments of the times; they had gargoyles figures. Norte Dame Cathedral in Paris is one of the Gothic cathedrals which has gargoyles and flying buttresses. There are plenty of ways to analyze and examine the 900 years of medieval art that includes visiting churches and exploring the decorations.
Beauty and the Beast story
The story incorporates a widowed merchant who lived with his three daughters and three sons, the youngest was the most beautiful, lovely, pure at heart, well read, and kind. The other sisters were wicked, selfish and spoiled. With time the merchant lost all his wealth, and they were forced to live on a small farm. One day his ship arrived at the port, and before leaving, he asked the children what they wanted. The sons said weaponry; eldest daughter wanted the finest dresses and jewelry. The beautiful one wanted only roses since they did not grow in their region. (Tatar 32).
On arrival, the ship’s cargo had been taken to pay debts he owed people. Therefore, he could not have bought presents for his children. On his way back, he was caught in a storm in which he drowned and woke up in a dazzling palace. The invisible owner of the manor invited him to the table full of food and drinks. He spent the night there and in the morning when he was about to go, he saw a garden of roses and remembered her daughter asked for one. The merchant went to the field and picked the loveliest of the roses he could find. The owner of the garden was not happy and wanted to kill him. Merchant begged for his life, and the beast agreed to let him go if the merchant could give one of his daughters in exchange of roses. He was given more wealth, jewelry, and weaponry for his children and was sent on his way.
When he got home, he tried to hide the occurrence, but beauty could tell that something was wrong. Eventually, the merchant told them what happened. The sons wanted to go and kill the beast, but he told his sons they had no chance against that monster. Beauty agreed to live with a Beast. She was welcomed graciously with beautiful clothes, jewelry, healthy foods, and drinks. Every night the beast would come and ask her to marry him, but she would say no. In her dreams, an absolute prince would appear and ask her why she said no to the beast.
Later she would go looking for the prince in her dreams as she thought he had been kidnapped and hidden in one of the many enchanted rooms, but she never found him. After some time, she missed her family and wanted to pay them a visit. The beast allowed her but only for a week. She went home and found everyone sound and safe. Her sister got jealous about her radiant clothes and jewelry and her good life. Beauty, on the other hand, gave her jewelry and beautiful clothes which turned into rags after her sister put them on and turned all pretty after beauty took them since Beast meant them for her only. Seeing this, they were jealous of beauty’s beautiful life and planned on making her stay longer to annoy the beast. Her sister's fake show of affection moved Beauty and agreed to stay, but she felt bad for failing to keep her promise to the Beast. She used a ring and mirror in order to know what was happening only to find the Beast half dead because of the heartbreak. She immediately returned to the castle and wept over the beast confessing her love for him. When her tears hit the monster, he turned into a handsome prince. The prince explained to her that a wicked beast cursed him on his refusal to let it take shelter during the rains and only tears of the one true love could break the curse. Prince and Beauty got married (Tatar 46).
Modern interpretation
Modern interpretations of beauty and the beast vary from different films done after the story as many films have been made about this story. Examples of current application in theaters include Beauty and the Beast and Blood of Beasts of Viking period film directed by David Lister. The lessons learned in the story is; family should always come first. Beauty sacrificed her life for the sake of her family’s safety. Also, actions speak louder than words; the beast spent most of its time proving to beauty how much he loved her.
The Tale of Cinderella
The popular version of Cinderella’s story is the one that was written by Charles Perrault in French, in 1967. It has other additional stories (inset) about a fairy grandmother and glass slippers. (Grim 43) Cinderella is a fairy tale story involving a myth-element of the oppression and great reward. The word Cinderella means the one who unexpectedly gains success after a period of neglect and obscurity. A young woman was living in very unfortunate circumstances and later ended up having a remarkable fortune. The Greek insight on this was around 7 BC where a Greek slave girl was married to an Egyptian king. She was called Rhodopis, and it is known as the earliest or most old version of Cinderella story. Greek geographer Strabo reported it. In the German text of the story, the evil stepsisters was punished for their deception, by having their eyes pecked out by birds. The central theme of Cinderella fairy tale is the persecuted heroine.
The story of Snow White
The plot involved the queen using a magic mirror. She used to confront the mirror by asking it who is the fairest and beautiful one in the world and since the mirror always used, to tell the truth, this pleased the queen. But with time baby snow white was now all grown up and she became beautiful each day more than the previous one. When the queen asked the mirror, the mirror gave a different answer where the queen was so offended. Due to this, he asked one huntsman to go and kill snow white in the forest, but on getting to the woods, he could not do it and let Snow White free. He took an animal’s heart instead to confirm her death to the queen. As Snow White wandered in the forest, she came across a cottage with dwarfs. The dwarfs allowed her to live there in exchange for her doing house chores. The wicked queen later asked the mirror who is the fairest, and the mirror once again said; Snow White who is far in the mountains living with the seven dwarfs is a thousand time more beautiful. The Queen was angry and disguised herself as an old peddler, the Queen tried to murder Snow White severally, but the dwarfs always rescued her. She later met her prince and got married.
Conclusion
In beginning, modern understanding of the Greek mythology is referred to by most scholars as the second reaction after the end of the eighteenth century. The Christians are against the traditional and ancient attitude, where on the contrary they believe myths are superficial or lies. These tales and myths are sources of teachings and historical events.
Works Cited
Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition. Princeton University Press, 2014.
Hard, Robin. The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on HJ Rose's Handbook of Greek Mythology. Routledge, 2003.
Thomas, Taylor. The Metamorphosis or Golden Ass of Apuleius : the translated version from latin, London pg 66-99.
Papaioannou, Sophia. "Charite's Rape, Psyche on The Rock and The Parallel Function Of Marriage in Apuleius' Metamorphoses". Mnemosyne 51.3 (1998): 302-324. Web.
Revolvy, LLC. "Cupid and Psyche" On Revolvy.Com". Revolvy.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.
Tatar, Maria. The Annotated Classic Fairy tales, P.45, ISBN 0-393-05163-3, 2000
