Comparing Cupid and Psyche to “Modern” Fairy Tales

By David Bicknell and Sandra Juarez
Images compiled by Julie Scully

Although the tale of Cupid and Psyche, as told by Apuleius in his novel The Golden Ass, may not be well known, the themes within the text are recognizable as they have made their way into fairytales such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Bluebeard. The fairytale versions we are using are written by Perrault, with the exception of Beauty and the Beast which was written by Madame Leprince de Beaumont. Charles Perrault is known for being one of the most well-known fairytale writers. This article will demonstrate the similarities between these four fairytales and Cupid and Psyche. For a summary of these fairy tales, click here.

Disenchanted Husband (AT Tale Type 425)

Antti Aarne (author) and Stith Thompson (translator), in their compilation of the different types of fairy tales, both categorize Beauty and the Beast and Cupid and Psyche as different variations of the same tale type: the Disenchanted Husband.

In Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and her father find a hideous beast living in the castle; however, he is actually a handsome prince that has been cursed by an enchantress. In Cupid and Psyche, Psyche is married to Cupid, the god of love and desire, however, she is not aware that her husband is Cupid because she is not allowed to see his face and it was prophesied that she was to be married off to a horrible monster.

The men are portrayed as monsters, but unbeknownst to the women are in fact handsome men whom hold a high status

Trials

In Cinderella, there is the theme involving the heroine undergoing trials. Psyche searches for Cupid after he flies away, and the mother of Cupid, Venus, tells her that she must endure some trials to be worthy of her son. Psyche must first sort various types of grain and is aided by ants. Next, she must gather wool from some ferocious sheep and is aided by a reed. Then she must retrieve water from a spring that flows into the Underworld and is again aided by an unusual power. Finally, she must go to the Underworld and get a modicum of beauty from Proserpina. Cinderella was made to endure some trials from her wicked stepmother and stepsister before she was able to go to the ball. She is also aided by animals and by her fairy godmother. The trials were the tasks that women were expected to do in the household: organizing and cleaning, spinning and weaving, retrieving water from the well, and being beautiful.

Spilling of the First Blood

When Psyche manages to sneak a look at her husband’s face she is fascinated by his divine beauty. She notices Cupid’s arrows and presses her finger to the tip of the arrow. The arrow pierces her finger and she sheds blood just as the princess in Sleeping Beauty pricks her fingers on the spindle and bleeds. This theme is called the spilling of first blood.

The spilling of first blood is meant to symbolize the maturation of the virgin maiden into the wife through the first act of sex in the marriage. The pricking of their finger also signals their misfortune. Both girls are left alone after they prick their finger. Cupid abandons Psyche shortly after he awakens, while Psyche conducts a search to find him; the princess, while in a deep slumber, is left in a tower until her prince comes to rescue her.

Curiosity

The theme of curiosity appears in the tale of Cupid and Psyche and Bluebeard.

Both Cupid and Bluebeard trust their wives to do as they are told. Cupid tells Psyche multiple times that she must not see his face, warning of a bad fate for her if she does. Bluebeard tells each of his successive wives that they must not open the door in the basement and look inside. Psyche and the wives of Bluebeard are so overwhelmed with curiosity that they each break their husband’s trust and lay eyes upon something they should not see.

However, in the end their curiosity is not condemned. Psyche becomes a goddess, marries Cupid and has a daughter named Pleasure. The final wife of Bluebeard avoids being killed like her husband’s previous wives when her brothers come to rid her of her husband. Afterwards, she remarries and finds good husbands for her sisters.

 

The major themes of Cupid and Psyche still live on to this day. Though we compared it to Perrault’s versions of the fairytales, these themes are still seen even in the most modern versions (Disney’s). While the plots may change through the years, the main themes in the tales remain consistent.  
For tips on how to teach Cupid and Psyche with The Beauty and the beast, click here.

For more on Cupid and Psyche, click here.