Psyché
Quick Summary
"Psyche" is a play written in collaboration by Pierre Corneille, Molière, and Philippe Quinault, first performed in 1671. It is a comédie-ballet, a genre that combines spoken drama with music and dance. The play is an adaptation of the classical myth of Psyche, a princess whose beauty angered the goddess Venus. Venus commanded her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a monstrous creature, but Cupid instead fell in love with Psyche himself.123
The story, as told by Apuleius, involves Cupid visiting Psyche only in darkness, but Psyche's curiosity leads her to light a lamp, causing Cupid to flee. Psyche then endures tasks imposed by Venus before Cupid rescues her, and Jupiter makes her immortal. The tale is often interpreted as an allegory of the soul's journey guided by love. Molière's contribution to "Psyche" involved his expertise in comedy and theatrical presentation, while Corneille and Quinault brought their dramatic and poetic talents to the work.312
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