1. A myth is a legend, religious belief, spiritual values of a culture, worldview, oral tradition, or a legend. An example of a myth would be the story of Demeter and Persephone.

2. A hero is someone who models human behavior for their society, earns lasting fame, and performs great deeds for the benefits of others. An example of a hero would be Prometheus.

3. Hero journey is hero’s road of trials, battles, and obstacles. A hero journey involves transformation. A boon/gift, an ultimate battle, companions, and guides. An example of a hero journey would be the story of Hercules and his twelve labors.

4. Universal is the big picture and applies to all. It can describe an ordinary human with a special characteristic that sets him, not just a hero. The idea of duality can be an example of universal. The fact to both good and evil exist.

5. The original model or a structure/foundation can be used to describe archetypal. An example or archetypal would be the three archetypal images of creation. The world begins as either and egg, watery abyss, or void.

6. Cyclical is the repetitiveness, following of a continuous pattern, or a cycle of a hero journey. An example would be any hero journey. They all follow a cyclical pattern and constantly repeat that cycle.

7. Duality is the quality of opposites in a whole. Good and evil existing at the same time fits the idea of duality.

8. Creation is the starting of something new. An example of creation the beginning of all creation myths. The story begins with the world portrayed as one of the three archetypal images and being created.

9. The studies of the world/universe is the definition of cosmology. The big bang theory, or any other theories of how the world came into being, would be an example of cosmology.

10. Life from death is the fact that death creates life. For example sacrificing one life for the lives of many, making sacrifices to gods, or in some Greek myths, when gods died, their body was used to create different features of the world.

11. Matriarchal is the foundation of female power. The mother is the main focus. An example of matriarchal would be the story of Tiamat.

12. The foundation of male power where the male is in charge is considered patriarchal. Greek mythology is an example of partriarchal because Zeus is dominant god.

13. Any tribute to a god or giving something up for the common good would be a sacrifice. For example, in the Christian religion Jesus sacrificed his life for the common good of everyone in the world.

Cupid and Psyche

Trust! A large factor in the love and adventure myth of Cupid and Psyche. The story told by Apuleius of Cupid and Psyche is that of two people, Cupid a god, and Psyche, a mortal, who fall in love, but because of certain circumstances are separated. Even though they get set apart from each other, love is the greater force and the two are destined to be together.

On a natural level, Cupid is the god of love. By the simplest prick of one of his arrows, one would fall madly in love. Psyche on the other hand was mortal, but was very beautiful. Some men say her beauty could surpass that of Venus herself. This angered Venus and she sought help from her son Cupid. She ordered him to use his power to make Psyche fall madly in love with a horrible, ugly creature. Cupid agrees, but when his eyes first lay upon Psyche it is love at first sight. Because of Psyche’s beauty, Cupid cannot carry out the horrible deed. Psyche never fell in love. Instead, men just came to gaze and worship then move on the marry someone else.

Meanwhile, Psyche’s father was ordered to place her on a hill for her taking by a vile serpent. So it was done and she was set there unknowing of her terrible fate to come. Time passes and no serpent came. Instead, she was carried off by Zephyr, a warm wind that moved her to a luscious field. Psyche fell asleep and awoke on a riverbank that passed in front of a temple fit for a god. Psyche, very curious, heard a voice that spoke to her throughout the day and welcomed her into the house, offered her food, and offered a bath. The voice gave Psyche an eerie, but very much welcomed companionship, maybe that of which a husband would give. That night, Psyche finally got her wish. Psyche felt the long desired touch of her husband climbing in bed. There was a twist though. Psyche never physically saw her husband, but only had the company of his voice during the day and his warmth at night when it was dark. Cupid counted on Psyche’s trust and told her that she must trust him and that if she did not, he would surely flee leaving Psyche forever.

Psyche longed to see her sisters and felt for their grief. Psyche begged Cupid to let her see them. After giving in, Psyche met with the sisters. Her sisters got jealous of the wonderful life their younger sister was living. They convinced her that maybe the reason she was never aloud to see him, because he was a monster. Psyche, overwhelmed with terror second-guessed her husband, she needed to see him. Losing trust in Cupid, she plotted to see her husband that night. When Cupid lay there asleep, Psyche crept up and lit a lamp. When she saw a beautiful young man laying there asleep she felt a streak of relief. However in doing so, Psyche spilled hot oil on Cupid. He awoke and fled, disappointed in losing the trust he had in Psyche. Psyche, disappointed in herself and in the loss of Cupid, whom she greatly cared for, realized what terrible thing she did was determined to get Cupid back, even if it ment searching for him for the rest of her life. So she sets off to go see Venus, Cupids mother. Venus is very upset and gives Psyche multiple almost impossible tasks to complete. Psyche goes to great measures for the one she loves and completes each task. Eventually, Cupid and Psyche are reunited and married. Psyche is made immortal and the love between the two was forever present.

The story of Cupid and Psyche is a great myth to read, and if you pick it apart it has many meanings hidden deep down. Next time you find yourself reading a myth, novel, or any other story, you should consider getting deeper into the story and evaluate it on the three levels of natural, social, and psychological. You may learn something new.