She is perpetually torn between her mother and husband with little say for herself. She symbolizes both springing (new growth) and death. Persephone is a character of dualities in more ways than one. Other stories indicate that she wants to stay to escape her mother and simply sees Hades as the best option. In some versions, Persephone chooses to eat the pomegranates to stay because she has fallen in love with her husband. However, is that really the truth? There are so many versions of the Hades and Persephone story that it’s hard to tell. It’s clear from the ancient retellings that Persephone’s feelings and thoughts on the matter don’t mean a thing. After all, rape and kidnappings were common in Ancient Greek culture and were sometimes a way to acquire a bride. Though Hermes eventually came to get her per Zeus’ order, she was unable to leave because she had consumed the food of the dead.Īfter much negotiation, Demeter and Hades struck a bargain: Persephone would spend 6 months of the year above ground with her mother, and 6 months of the year in the Underworld with Hades. Meanwhile, Persephone was down in the Underworld with Hades, married to become the Queen of the Dead and eating the six infamous pomegranate seeds. She then made the earth barren (as Demeter is the goddess of the harvest) and the land grew dark and cold while the crops died. She searched the earth for her daughter and came up empty handed, she found out what Zeus had done. One day, Persephone was in a meadow picking narcissus flowers, when the earth quite literally opened up and Hades came through to kidnap her.Īccording to many myths, Zeus actually made a bargain with his brother Hades and coordinated this kidnapping.ĭemeter, Persephone’s mother, was devastated. However, in Persephone’s teenage years, things changed. She played with her siblings (Athena and Aphrodite) and was beloved by her mother.
Persephone lived a happy, idyllic childhood according to most myths. In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of grain and fertility, and Zeus, conceived before Zeus married Hera. The Goddess Persephone In History & Myth:īefore we dive into the more detailed stuff on Persephone, I’ll give a brief overview of the myth that casts her as a main character so you know exactly who she is. Many of us today struggle with similar issues as Persephone, which I hope will become clear to you as you read this post. I personally feel that Persephone is hugely popular for a reason! In many ways, her story is a metaphor that applies to us in so many different ways. Many of us are actually entranced by the story. The Ancient Greeks feared the darkness of the Underworld, so they mostly stayed away from Hades and Persephone. If Persephone was worshiped, it was only because springtime comes when she is returned to her mother.
It’s funny, because in Ancient Greece, Hades and Persephone were rarely worshipped. However, she really is a marvel all on her own. The goddess Persephone is ultra popular today, mainly because of her love story (or abduction story, depending on the telling) with Hades. Whether you believe in the Greek gods and goddesses or simply pull inspiration from the stories, you can definitely learn a lot from Persephone. It’s about love, it’s about death, and it’s also about what happens when we are out of balance with who we really are. Her story is a timeless tale that has been retold many times over. In Hadestown, he tries to convince Hades to release Eurydice so that they can go back to their previous life together.Persephone is one of the most important goddesses in ancient Greco-Roman mythology. However, Eurydice leaves to work in the factory in Hadestown, and Orpheus follows. Orpheus is a musician who falls in love with Eurydice. Wait for me, I’m coming too” Promotional Image Without further ado, here are five outfits inspired by the dynamic costumes and characters of Hadestown. The musical has seen great success, winning eight awards, including Best Musical, at this year’s Tony Awards. However, Eurydice cannot leave without permission from Hades. Orpheus follows her to get her to come back above ground. She leaves Orpheus and heads off for Hadestown. Orpheus and Eurydice are lovers who vow to always stay together, until Eurydice becomes curious about Hades and his workers.
These classic stories are retold through catchy folk songs. It combines the myth of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice with the myth of Hades and Persephone. Hadestown is a musical based on a concept album by singer Anais Mitchell.
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