Interpretation Essay

Baucis and Philemon

Ever stop to think about how being nice to someone could change your life forever? Baucis and Philemon went out of their way and were nice to some strangers and it changed their life. Baucis and Philemon’s story is important because it shows people that good deeds do not go unnoticed. The levels of interpretation are important because they allow us to take myths like Baucis and Philemon and help us break them down to something that means something to us each individually, like how they can represent joy to us psychologically because they were happy with so little. The myth explains how an oak and a linden tree grew from the same trunk. Baucis and Philemon helped out the two gods Mercury and Jupiter who were disguised as two people in poverty. The two gods went around knocking on people’s doors looking for a place to stay and the only people who let them in, were Baucis and Philemon. Because of this Baucis and Philemon got a reward. They wanted for one to never have to live without the other. So the gods changed them into the two trees that grew from one trunk.

What Baucis and Philemon’s story represent to us naturally would be poverty and togetherness. The story shows and tells us that this couple is very poor and do not have a lot. They do have each other though and have been together, and lived in the same poor cottage their entire life. Even though they lived there and did not have much, they were still happy and they loved each other very much. Baucis and Philemon helped out two gods, though they were in poverty.

Socially they can represent relationships, family, hospitality, helpfulness and love. They help represent these because they are all they have and always want to be together. These things are important to us socially because in a community if no body helps each other out we would not have joy and happiness in our lives.

Psychologically they mean so much to us each individually. They can mean hope, kindness and happiness. They can bring us hope because Baucis and Philemon were together in that little cottage for their entire life and were happy. Today families hardly ever stay together no matter how rich or poor they are. They bring us happiness through kindness to one another because when someone is nice to you it brightens your day in a way and makes you feel good. When someone is nice to you it makes an impact on you and you are nice to someone else. Hope and happiness are important to us individually because if we do not have those then what is the point in life? If there is nothing to hope for or to be happy about, why wake up in the morning? Happiness can be related to this myth because Baucis and Philemon were happy and shed their happiness on some strangers, they were forever rewarded because of their little cottage and happiness they had in each other.

This myth illustrates that when you decide to do something nice for someone, it will probably not go unnoticed. Not saying that you will get changed into a tree with your lover, but people do notice. So be kind and care if someone needs your help or something done because it will make an impact on your life.