It makes sense that Kore would be relunctant to leave the land of the living and the arms of her mother, Demeter. What doesn't make sense is that she would be held against her will or openly give up the opportunity to not only be Queen of the Underworld, but also the Shepherdess of Souls.
It's possible Kore might not have embaced her destiny wholeheartedly at first. Could she have been afraid to grow and to be transformed? Did she fear these things the way mortals naturally fear the transformation of death? Could she have fought these changes the way mortals fight to survive?
Eventually it is the love of Pluton that changes her; that makes her whole, and helps her to realize her true potential and destiny. I don't believe a divine being like that could be a rapist. So, why do you suppose this story became twisted? Is there some patriarchal reason as to why Kore would need to be forced into becoming Persephone?
In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter Persephone (Kore) is given away to Pluton/Hades by Zeus (sometimes her father and sometimes her uncle). This rings of patriarchal influences and hints that a woman couldn't possibly have the power to think for herself and make the decision to change her existence. In no way does this speak about what we know of Goddess societies and it can only be assumed that the myths including aspects of rape are a later retelling of a very ancient story.
I found the passage below at The Other Ivy's blog, Stone Circle. I immediately fell in love with it and it suddenly resonated inside me like something true. It wasn't the first time I had heard of an alternate, non-rape version of the story, but it was so inspiring that I had to post it here along with my musings.
...No one understands anymore
how beautiful he was. But Persephone remembers.
Also that he embraced her, right there,
with her uncle watching. She remembers
sunlight flashing on his bare arms.
This is the last moment she remembers clearly.
Then the dark god bore her away.
She also remembers, less clearly,
the chilling insight that from this moment
she couldn't live without him again.
The girl who disappears from the pool
will never return. A woman will return,
looking for the girl she was...
- Excerpt from"The Myth of Innocence"
from Averno by Louise Glück.
12 comments:
I'm going to concede you know more about the different versions of this tale than I do so you would know more about what was added later on to the original etc. and just the story in general.
Having said that, I'd like to make a couple points. First, I can buy the rape aspect of the story for a couple reasons. The gods, in all legends, not only serve as examples of the 'best' in the universe but also the 'worse'. There seems to be these constant going to extremes in the different stories and how sometimes they often get the best of themselves.
Also, this is as much a story about power as love (and rape is more about power than love/lust). The power of Pluto/Hades to get what he wants. The power of Zeus to give Persephone away against her will. The power of a horrible situation to trap a being despite their best efforts. Something most people can relate too at some point in their lives. And there is the power later - if I remember the whole story correctly - of Hecate to come and work a deal and rescue Persephone from her plight. And it is a story of how love both can win and lose at the same time. For both Pluto and Persephone, love wasn't enough was it?
This is a good post though and very insightful.
It really is a wonderful poem. I think the differences are, in part, due to shifting subjectivities. If the purpose of narrative is to reaffirm, reinforce and/or reproduce social structures, a story's focus can shift over the years to reflect this. Feminist revisions include ways of shifting the perspective so that the women in the stories have a sense of agency rather than functioning as objects in a narrative that does not serve their interests. We are able to see the situation through their particular lens and get a sense of their choice in the situation rather than have them serve as narrative devices to symbolize colonization or cycles.
Jett, I can totally see some of your points and I can see where power plays an important role in Persephone's story.
I think though that there is something taken away from the spiritual aspects of the story when the rape is emphasized.
Maybe they rape can be seen as speaking of Persephone's ability to overcome terrible circumstances. That's very possible. But I suppose I choose to believe in the love instead. I have always believed love was enough - and still do. There's a story behind that statement that I might have to share one day.
Thanks for your comments. Yours were also very insightful. :)
Ivy, thanks so much for stopping by and commenting.
I love your comments and agree quite a bit, though I have one question. Would it be possible to say that the story of Persephone is not in it's original state as we know it in the Homeric Hymn? Perhaps the story was much different during a time when Goddess Religion was predominant? Is it possible that perhaps we are rediscovering the original story after many years of patriarchal subjectivities?
Just a thought. Thanks again. Love your blog.
Thanks Grian/Lee.
I believe that stories change over time and are impacted by both reader and context. I don't think we could ever rediscover the original story because the experience of a story is a dynamic process and the cultural lens that we have now, our context, is different (as are we).
Heya!
Quick note, Korai would usually mean "girls" (feminine nominitive plural), whereas I think you are going for the name Kore.
Also, I have a very very different reaction to this story than you. It was interesting to read your perspective. In particular, I think your statement, "In no way does this speak about what we know of Goddess societies and it can only be assumed that the myths including aspects of rape are a later retelling of a very ancient story" is almost opposite to my take on it. So much so, that I am now developing a post of my own on the myth. It's one of the most important stories to me, so I hesitate to write it at all! Thank you for the inspiration.
I continue to enjoy reading your blog. :)
Hi there back! I'm aware of the name variant and have seen it spelled both ways. I think I prefer the transliteration Korai because it actually sounds that was phoenetically as opposed to Kore often being mispronouned as "core".
I look forward to your post and can't wait to have a dialogue about it with you. :) Thanks for stopping by.
Another note on names: I once had an art history teacher who pronounced Persephone as per-se-phone. It drove me nuts. So, in this case I figure it doesn't hurt to use the variant - again because I have seen it spelled both ways. It's kind of like how Germans say Munchen and we say Munich. I bet it means something totally different in German. So... it's not lack of knowledge... just a choice.
I'm curious where you found the variant "Korai," which I have never seen before, except in statuary where it still refers to the plural, but I know what you mean about preferring something that is properly pronounced. I personally would pronounce Korai KOR-eye instead of the more correct KOR-eh, but that's just how it looks to me!
So, I promise I won't argue with you anymore on this, but I am curious where you found that particular variant if you happen to remember.
Peace. -Ailia
I don't honestly remember where I saw the Korai spelling. I just know I liked it better right away. LOL. But maybe I shoudl edit things to read Kore. It is more common and is probably less confusing to others. Oh, and I love a good argument. ;)
Okay, I remember now. I read that Korai was what they called young plants - as they spring from the ground and are thus like and of Kore. I have seen it a couple of times on the net and at least once in a book. I'm sticking with the traditional spelling though to avoid any confusion. Thanks for making me think about this one. :)
i didn't know anyone else except me was telling themselves persephone's story as a *love* story rather than an abduction story. honestly, i think it's demeter who would frame it as an abduction, while persephone sees it as an escape.
i mean, what must it be like, to be the goddess of spring in a world of perpetual summer?
Post a Comment