08.15.08
Persephone — raped or willing?
I used to love the myth of Persephone — a mother’s love, justice (mostly) served, and an origin myth to boot.
Now, I go back and wonder.
Was Persephone forced to become Hades’ queen, or did she go willingly?
Some versions of the myth say that she knew she would have to stay in the Underworld if she ate anything and so when she ate of the pomegranate, she did so willingly.
Another version says that she went willingly to comfort the dead — no mention is made of Hades abducting her.
I think I’m taking too much of a modern view towards this, but I find it really hard to believe that she was as innocent as she was made out to be.
Being part of the pantheon, one would think that she would know that you should not eat anything from the Underworld else you should be bound their forever.
Also, it has been said in places that there used to be the tradition for men to “steal” their wives away from their families. The continuum of the practice of bride kidnapping might be in play here. Who is to say that Persephone did not, in a sense, go willingly with Hades?
Perhaps the story is more sordid that it is usually portrayed, maybe less…
Still I wonder, if Persephone ever loved Hades.