Beauty and the Beast (part two

A long time ago, there was a Roman writer named Apuleius.  He created a story similar to that of Beauty and the Beast.  His story was called “Cupid and Psyche”. Beauty and the Beast has been said to originate from this myth.

Psyche was a beautiful girl who had trouble finding a man.  Her stunning features mesmerized all men, but none wished to marry her.  Venus, being jealous of Psyche’s beauty, instructed Cupid to shoot her with an arrow and make her fall in love with a serpent.  Cupid is mesmerized by Psyche’s beauty just like all the other men. He decides to shoot himself with the arrow.  Psyche was told that she would fall in love with a serpent, but it was actually Cupid.

Every night, Cupid would enter her bedroom to make love to her, but she was forbidden to look at him.  Psyche’s sisters tell her to look at her husband because they are jealous of her wealth and knew that it is against the rules.  Psyche turns on a lamp and looks at her beautiful husband and realizes he is truly not a serpent. Cupid deserts his wife because there cannot be love without trust.

Psyche goes searching everywhere for her beloved husband.  Venus tries to trick her many times and almost kills her.  Venus succeeds in making Psyche curious about a magical box. When Psyche opens the box, she immediately falls asleep. Cupid, looking for Psyche, finds her and requests that Zeus makes her immortal. Psyche is awoken, is turned immortal, and marries Cupid.

I like how this story teaches you about love through trust. But, why is all the trust on the woman’s shoulders? The man saw beauty, desired it, and obtained it. He did not have to prove his trust like Psyche did.  I rather read a story like the new “Beauty and the Beast” than this version.  It is more romantic and equal between the man and woman.