Greek and Roman Mythology: Cupid and Psyche

In this mythological story from Roman tradition we shall delve into the emotions of actions of both gods and mortals. Venus Goddess of Love and beauty has many lovely qualities. Yet, like all of the god's there is a dark side to her as well. Here we will examine each players motives, behaviors and desires. Cupid being the devoted son to Venus is expected to act for his mother in a way that would bring about the ruin of a lovely young mortal. Yet, nothing goes according to Venus' carefully laid plans. Through artworks and excerpts from the myth itself we will seek to understand the motives of each player and how the story plays out. It is an interesting study into ancient beliefs about love, attraction and desire. In the Greek and Roman world people's lives revolved around pleasing the gods. Yet, the Greek and Roman gods are   not always blameless. They can be jealous and conniving when crossed or when their pride has been injured. Throughout this course I would like to use beautiful visual artworks to tell the story of Cupid and Psyche. Art history principles will be taught to add a deeper level of knowledge of the subject matter. Visual arts will include fine arts: Painting and sculpture. Through class lecture and discussion each student may express their opinions, ask questions and participate in the class as much as they would like. There will be an end of class quiz to test the retention of knowledge given in the lecture. A written report will provide students and parents of each students progress in class.