Myth: Pyramus and Thisbe

Conflict

According to Dictionary.com, myth is defined as a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature. Like in Ovid's Metamorphosis "Pyramus and Thisbe", the story tells us how the colour of white mulberry fruits is changed into the stained colour.

Pyramus and Thisbe, also appeared to be the title of the story, are two main characters that at first neighbours, later turn out to be lovers. Pyramus is the most handsome young man, whilst Thisbe is the fairest lady. Since they’re so deeply in love with each other, they should be meant to be together and lead to a happy ending.

Nevertheless, they undergo a major conflict with both their parents. In Babylonian society, parents retained absolute legal control of their children while they’re growing up. Parents have the right to choose spouses for their sons and daughters and even had the right to sell their children into slavery, although they seldom did so. Hence, it is very normal that the parents of Pyramus and Thisbe forbid and disapprove a relationship between them.

Themes

As I read, these are some of the themes I found in this myth.

1)      Love is blind. Love is blind from the consequences of the future. Pyramus and Thisbe were blind to the consequences of running away and taking very sudden actions. Thisbe ran away from the lioness and didn’t think to look for Pyramus, which led to the misconception of the situation. On the other hand, Pyramus killed himself on the notion that his lover, Thisbe, had died. All of these actions did not involve thinking because they were using their hearts, not their heads. Therefore, their love blinded them from being able to see the possible consequences.

2)      Forbidden love. When both Pyramus and Thisbe were alive, their love was forbid. By agreement, they promised to meet at Ninus’ tomb, at dead of night. This led to the ending that they’re both killed, by themselves, that at least they could not be parted by death.

3)       Love is overpowering. Pyramus thought that his lover, Thisbe, was dead so he killed himself. When Thisbe found that Pyramus was dead, she killed herself too. Love is overpowering because lovers would do anything for each other including ending their own lives.