Greek Gods and Myth

After reading the Module on The Narcissus Myth, read “The Astronomer’s Wife” by Kay Boyle (provided below)

• Look for suggestions of aggression or violence tied in with notions of love.
• Look for water or pools and how the people treat it or act around it. Look for suggestions of a garden.
• Who is Narcissus/the hero? In other words, who is self-discovering? Where do they retreat to the self?

Answer the following questions regarding “The Astronomer’s Wife” on the Discussion Board. You should use direct quotes in all of your answers:

• What are the major symbols of the Narcissus Myth?

• What do those symbols represent in literature?

• Is Kay Boyle’s short story “The Astronomer’s Wife” comparable to the Narcissus Myth?

• How do you know? In other words, what symbols are present, and what do they represent to the hero of the short story?
• What is the major difference between Narcissus and Mrs. Ames?

• Does it seem like the wife in the story, the hero, is at the end of her journey or at the beginning when the story ends? Why?

I have attached the readings here for you convenience, but they can also be accessed from the Module