While Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and the story of Psyche and Cupid are very different they both contain the theme of a call to enlightenment. The Allegory of the Cave starts with the men tied down in a cave; they know nothing of actual world but interrupt their world based on what they have experienced from viewing the screen in front of them. The screen however does not depict the true world but a false one created by a puppeteer stationed behind the men. Psyche has a similar experience with Cupid.
In the beginning of her time living with Cupid Psyche only believes what cupid has told her, “Obey[ing] the constructive sounds although they lacked physical form”, much like the men sitting in the cave believe only what the puppeteer shows them (Book 5 Section 3). As time goes on Psyche’s sisters call on her to question her beliefs of reality (her relationship with Cupid).
Psyche actively resists these questions, because they go against her view of reality, by attempting to lie her way out but ultimately ends up giving into her sisters demands and holds a light to Cupid’s face to see his true appearance and thus begins her journey towards enlightenment (Book 5 Sections 17-20, 22). Similarly, in order to become enlightened by seeing the actual world, a man must exit the cave, not by his own will but dragged out by someone else.
For just as Psyche did not want to see the true appearance of Cupid but is convinced to by her sisters so does the man not want to see the true world but is ultimately forced to by the stranger. Initially after being enlightened by Cupid’s true appearance however Psyche feels sadness and pain and must slowly adjust to her new lifestyle (Book 6 Sections 1-8). The same can be said for the man dragged out of the cave.
At first, the man cannot see anything of the actual world because the light of the sun because his eyes great pain and need to adjust to the light. As both Psyche and the man from the cave adjust to their new lifestyle they each must take small increasingly complex steps towards full enlightenment. Psyche’s first task, sorting grain, a task possible for humans, reflects her previously lifestyle as simple human (Book 6 Section 10). Likewise, the man from the cave is first able to observe shadows, something he would have been able to observe in his previous life in the cave. Psyche’s second task, to gather wool from the mythical golden ram, poses a slightly larger challenge.
Both the reed and the river, but not the Gods, play a significant role in helping Psyche achieve a task a mere human could not accomplish on their own (Book 6 Section 12-13). Consequently the man from the cave is next able to observe reflections in water, something he would not have been able to do in the cave, but cannot see the objects themselves. In Psyches third and fourth tasks she is required to obtain water from the source of the river Styx and then travel to the underworld.
In both cases Psych needs direct help from the Gods in order to complete each task (Book 6 Section 13-21). In the same way the man from the cave is last able to see the objects themselves. It is only after being able to see the shadows, reflections, and finally the objects that the man is able to see the sun itself, the source of the light. Psyche also reaches the point of full enlightenment. After completing her final task Psych is rewarded by marrying Cupid and becoming a God herself (Book 6 Section 23-24).
