About the Class
The tale of Psyche and Eros tells the story of Psyche, the mortal princess of extraordinary beauty, who falls in love with Eros, the god of love.
Psyche's unparalleled beauty incites the envy of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty herself. In a fit of jealousy, Aphrodite tasks her son Eros with the mission to instil in Psyche a love for the most despicable of creatures. However, when Eros sees Psyche, he himself falls deeply in love with her, unable to carry out his mother's orders.
Driven by his love for Psyche, Eros takes her to a magnificent palace hidden from mortal eyes, where they share blissful nights together. However, there is one condition: Psyche is forbidden from seeing Eros' true form.
Though surrounded by luxury, Psyche's curiosity gnaws at her, and she eventually succumbs to the temptation to behold her lover's face by lamplight.
As Psyche gazes upon Eros, a drop of oil falls from the lamp, waking him. Shocked and hurt by Psyche's disobedience, Eros flees, leaving Psyche alone in despair.
Thus begins Psyche's arduous journey to win back the love of her divine husband.
Orchestrated by Aphrodite, Psyche is put through a series of trials. She is subjected to seemingly impossible tasks, including sorting a massive pile of mixed grains, retrieving threads from the golden fleece and a descent into the underworld to retrieve a perfume from Persephone.
With some aid, Psyche successfully completes her tasks, and reunites with her lover with the blessing of the gods.
In this session we will explore the story of Psyche, offering a psychologically commentary regarding the experience of romantic love, and all its challenges.
