The Greek myth “Cupid and Psyche” shares many similarities with the Brother’s Grimm fairytale, “ Cinderella”. Both stories feature the predominant female character being held back from something she cares about by a jealous, older woman, ousted from her rightful position of power in a family, and completing impossible tasks with help from others.
In the story “Cupid and Psyche”, Cupid’s jealous mother, Venus, holds Psyche back from her love, Cupid. When Psyche comes to Venus searching for Cupid, Venus laughs at her and tells her that she will “never be able to get you [Psyche] a lover except by the most diligent and painful service” (130). Through saying this, Venus aims to ruin Psyche’s beauty and end Cupid’s infatuation with her. Similarly, …show more content…
She explains her actions, saying, “You, all covered with dust and dirt, and you want to go to the festival?” (Grimm Brothers). Cinderella’s stepmother is jealous of her beauty and grace, so she forbids her from going to the festival and makes her life miserable in an attempt to crush her natural beauty. This is similar to the hard labor that Venus inflicts on Psyche in an attempt to ruin her looks and spirit. A second similarity between “Cinderella” and “Cupid and Psyche” is that in both stories, the predominant female character is forced to leave a position of power in her family. In ”Cupid and Psyche”, Psyche leaves her home and becomes a servant of Venus in an attempt to regain Cupid’s love. Cinderella is put in a similar position when her malevolent stepmother forces her to become a servant to the family. Both women accept their new positions with grace because they know that with grace, regaining what rightfully belongs to them is possible. Lastly, “Cupid and Psyche” and “Cinderella” are related because both stories involve impossible tasks that are completed with the help of sympathetic strangers. In “Cupid and Psyche”, Venus forces Psyche to sort seeds, fetch golden fleece, fill a flask with water from the Styx,
In the story “Cupid and Psyche”, Cupid’s jealous mother, Venus, holds Psyche back from her love, Cupid. When Psyche comes to Venus searching for Cupid, Venus laughs at her and tells her that she will “never be able to get you [Psyche] a lover except by the most diligent and painful service” (130). Through saying this, Venus aims to ruin Psyche’s beauty and end Cupid’s infatuation with her. Similarly, …show more content…
She explains her actions, saying, “You, all covered with dust and dirt, and you want to go to the festival?” (Grimm Brothers). Cinderella’s stepmother is jealous of her beauty and grace, so she forbids her from going to the festival and makes her life miserable in an attempt to crush her natural beauty. This is similar to the hard labor that Venus inflicts on Psyche in an attempt to ruin her looks and spirit. A second similarity between “Cinderella” and “Cupid and Psyche” is that in both stories, the predominant female character is forced to leave a position of power in her family. In ”Cupid and Psyche”, Psyche leaves her home and becomes a servant of Venus in an attempt to regain Cupid’s love. Cinderella is put in a similar position when her malevolent stepmother forces her to become a servant to the family. Both women accept their new positions with grace because they know that with grace, regaining what rightfully belongs to them is possible. Lastly, “Cupid and Psyche” and “Cinderella” are related because both stories involve impossible tasks that are completed with the help of sympathetic strangers. In “Cupid and Psyche”, Venus forces Psyche to sort seeds, fetch golden fleece, fill a flask with water from the Styx,