Persephone 's Myth Is An Outstanding Way Of Explaining This

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter tells the story of Demeter, the goddess of fertility of grain. Demeter has a daughter with Zeus by the name of Persephone. The hymn explains the strong bond between Demeter and Persephone and how distraught Demeter is when her daughter is abducted. This traumatic event causes Demeter to live among mortal men disguised as an old woman and withdraw the fertility of the earth. In this paper, I will examine how the Homeric Hymn to Demeter operates as a charter myth, or narrative that explains modern practices, and how successful the hymn is in conveying the modern practice.

Together, the two patriarchal figures conspire to kidnap and force Persephone to marry Hades. This is done behind Demeter’s back, intentionally removing her from her role as mother. Their actions directly diminish or outright remove the will of Demeter, a symbol of women in Greek culture (The Homeric Hymn to Demeter 29-30). This theme of a removal of female autonomy is mirrored later in the text when Hades tricks Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds. This action is a deliberate attempt to remove Persephone’s ability to choose for herself, condemning her to spend the winter months in the underworld with him. Not only does this subjugate Persephone to Hades’ will, but it also lends justification to the subjugation of women by men (372-400). By removing the sovereignty of the female mind, the myth promotes male authority.

     Hades is one of the brothers of Zeus. He is the unlucky one who got to rule the underworld. He is cruel and unforgiving. Only two have ever gone to Hades domain and returned, Hercules and Odysseus. Hades fell in love with Zeus’s daughter and devised a plan to abduct her. With Zeus’s help they succeeded in the capture of Persephone. Her mother Demeter was so enraged she cursed the Earth. She continued the curse even after she was released. It was only after her mother Rhea was allowed to see her that she let the Earth prosper (message).

In the myth “Persephone”, as retold by Anne Terry White, Hades falls instantly in love with the Goddess of harvest and takes her to the underworld with him. Have is all the sudden alarmed by the heaven, fire breathing beasts that had been buried underground, so he comes up to the land. Anthradite, Goddess of love, spots Hades and commands her son, Eros, to shoot with an arrow of love, hoping it would make Hades release the beasts kindly. Hades suddenly gets shot and his heart slowly begins to soften. Suddenly, in the distance, Hades sees Persephone, goddess of harvest, gracefully working in the meadows and he instantly falls in love with her. As a result, he decides to practically kidnap he and takes her down to the underworld with him.

The Rape of Persephone began as a simple story of peace and unchanging atmosphere. Demeter, goddess of the earth, agriculture and fertility in general, withheld her gifts from the earth in an act of isolation and depression once she lost Persephone. Before tragedy struck, she was loved by all for providing a climate for crops to flourish year round.Persephone held the sweetest disposition and was admired by all who knew her- including the God of the dead, Hades. However, unbenounced to her and her mother, her father Zeus had agreed to the turmoil that would soon ensue. As Persephone quested for the most enchanting flower, Hades, “the lord of the dark underworld, the king of the multitudinous dead, carried her off underneath the earth, driving a

In Ovid Metamorphoses, the Roman literature described the ruthless act of Pluto of rape, to seize and carry away Proserpine without the consent of Ceres and in parallel in the Homeric Hymns of Demeter; Persephone was seized and carried away by Hades without the consent of Demeter. The invariant theme that was identified in both the Greek and Roman literature was the loss of innocence of Persephone/Proserpine. Despite the various differences the story was presented, it reinforced the innocence that was stolen from the god of the underworld, Hades or also known as Pluto. Throughout this paper, it will discuss the similar characteristics of the two myths such as the motive that led and encouraged the god of the underworld to kidnap

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter addresses the fate of Persephone is in the hands of others and is removed from freedom of choice as she is portrayed as a minor. In effect, it is symbolic of the power family holds as the actions of her mother, her father Zeus and her husband Hades determine her path. The text accustoms nickname Persephone throughout the passage as the ‘Core’, the ‘Girl’, or ‘Virgin’. These nicknames assume her role as an underage girl not responsible for her life decisions. The Hymn begins with highlighting the role of the patriarch in a family Zeus as both the head of the family and the other gods who must defer to him as he arranges Hades to take Persephone against her will. As Demeter struggles with the mourn and loss of her child she begins to abandon her reproduction responsibilities and Persephone is ordered to go to the side of your dark robed mother. However, Hades persuades Persephone to eat pomegranate seeds, representing the loss of her innocence as it spiritually bounds her to Hades. Zeus accustomed to be acknowledges as the father of justice and good government rectifies the issue with the arrangement that Persephone remains with Hades however returns to her mother and the Gods for 2 thirds of the year. The Fate of Persephone portrays the common marriage cycle that pertained in Ancient Greece whereby it held the connotation of death for the maiden and submission and adaptation into their Fathers orders.

(AGG)The greek goddess Demeter had a daughter, Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades, she was brought to the underworld, “Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and brought down to the underworld. Demeter searched desperately everywhere for the maiden but could not find her”(Cartwright), Demeter’s loss of her daughter gave her a goal, but she was impacted and she became sad because she did not have her daughter by her side every day.

Mother and daughter were finally reunited. Ceres sensing that something was wrong questioned her daughter. Finally Proserpina admitted to being trick in to eating the food of the underworld. Demeter again was distraught because she know to eat the food of the underworld means that person must return to the underworld. Jupiter powerless to do anything decreed that Proserpina spend 1/3 of the year in the underworld with her new husband and the other 2/3 she was allowed to return to earth or Olympus. She would now be known as the goddess of the underworld. With this compromise Ceres restore to order the growing of crops and put an end to the famine and starvation. From the union of Proserpina and Pluto came Plutus the god of wealth.

(AGG)The greek goddess Demeter had a daughter,Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades,she was brought to the underworld, “Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and brought down to the underworld. Demeter searched desperately everywhere for the maiden but could not find her”,Demeter’s loss of her daughter gave her a goal but she was impacted and she became sad because she did not have her daughter by her side everyday.

Persephone’s mother, Demeter, was very unhappy to have her daughter taken away. Persephone’s father, Zeus, decided that Persephone was to spend one quarter, or three months, of the year in the underworld. Persephone would spend the rest of the year on land. While in the underworld, Hades was feeding Persephone the forbidden fruit, the pomegranate. This made sure that she returned to the underworld for the three months that she was expected to be there every

Greek mythology cast her as the "bringer" of the seasons. Her central myth involved her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by Hades and forced to become his queen. Demeter was anguished and life stood still as her grief prevented the coming of the seasons. Zeus was swayed by the starving people and the other deities and he dispatched Hermes to return Persephone from the underworld. Although she was returned to her mother, Hades had tricked her, and by the rule of fates Persephone was forced to return for four months of every year as penance for eating the seeds that Hades had

Persephone-Demeter-Hades Hades, Persephone, and Demeter are all mythological characters referenced for evil, the beauty of the earth, and fruitfulness of our planet. Hades’ strong lust for Persephone drove him to capture her, while Demeter, her mother, sought to protect her. Considering what they symbolise, people today continue to reference their story because of its strong relation to our society and ever changing nature. According to the Greek mythology Hades, the “unseen” Greek god of the underworld, intrigued by the beautiful daughter of Demeter and Zeus, Persephone, created a dilemma (Cotterell 49).

When Zeus and Hades retuned almost everyone had forgotten about Perculus, Diminutive and Gargantuan. But little did Zeus know Perculus had become good friends with Aphrodite (Goddess of love and beauty), and Aphrodite was wondering where he was. When she went to ask Hades where Perculus went, he panicked and made up a ridiculous lie. Then she knew something was going on. She then decided to search Hades lair. There she found Perculus, Diminutive and Gargantuan tied to a ship being prepared to be exiled. She then untied them and she then had them explain what was going on. Form there she obviously sided with the three gods. Diminutive and Gargantuan ran away to an unknown place but Aphrodite and Perculus got revenge by taking away most of Zeus education and diminishing the love life for Hades, both acts preformed by the gods.

It is almost like Aphrodite’s strengths are explained only to bolster up Zeus’ feats. Zeus uses this power, and “into Aphrodite herself Zeus sent sweet desire to sleep with a mortal man” (citation). Zeus is never reprimanded for this, despite the fact that it appears he used this power to admonish Aphrodite’s pride and powers. Its these same virtues that Zeus thrives through, ensuring that he is the only one who can boast these assets, so no one can challenge his authority. This authority is reference in the Hymn to Demeter, when Persephone is abducted and she calls “on Father Cronides, the highest of gods and the best. But no immortal god or mortal man heard her voice” (citation). When Zeus does not help Persephone, though, she is never abandoned, for “Thereafter for nine days Lady Deo roamed the earth” (citation). Demeter will not stand by while her daughter is abducted, going and asking of other gods, “Who it is that has gone off and ravished her away from me against her will? Who is it of gods or mortal men?” (citation). When Demeter discovers that “There is none other responsible of the immortals but Zeus himself,” Hecate tries to coax Demeter down, and although she “greatly pit[ies] and revere[s Demeter in her] sorrow,” she asks of Demeter, “Goddess, cease from your long lamenting. It is not fitting for you vainly to hold onto anger unassuaged like this” (citation). However, Demeter does not relent, and “grief more dread and bitter fell