PERSEPHONE
Riley Rock
Persephone is a compelling figure in Greek mythology; representing two kingdoms at odds with each other, literally those of life and death. The maiden of flowers becomes queen of the Underworld in a cycle humans of the modern day know all too well (‘dust to dust, ashes to ashes…’); presumably, this myth helped prepare and comfort ancient Greeks in the knowledge that even a divine being such as Persephone was subject to the inexorable beat of death. The Persephone depicted in Hadestown is certainly no exception; the thrumming of the Underworld draws her in as surely as it does the maiden of myth. Her main differences lie in her reaction to an eternal lifetime of cyclicality; how does being passed around from furnace to bright air effect the once bright, virginal and innocent girl?
The springtime goddess of the ancient Greeks is introduced in the Homeric Hymm to Demeter “gathering flowers with her friends when she was lured away… which allows Hades, the god of the Underworld, to abduct her” (La Fond 4:12- 4:21). She is quite literally in her element when she is kidnapped by death- in this case, Death.. In Hadestown, Persephone is again introduced as a spring goddess, handing out bread and wine to stave off famine and depression, inspiring mirth and leading dance wherever she goes. And yet, as summer ends, she throws off her green mantle to reveal a black dress, and is forced down- “Winter's nigh and summer's o'er / Hear that high and lonesome sound / Of my husband coming for / To bring me home to Hadestown” (Mitchell). She says he is early, and pleads for more time, but winter has come, and her words cannot move him. She literally sinks down, beneath the ground, forced once more to relive her yearly cycle.
Like in the Homeric Hymm, we are uncertain if this was originally Persephone’s choice- when she tells Demeter that she ate pomegranate seeds against her will, is this merely mollification, or the truth? Regardless, in Hadestown, we are given the sense that should the decision have been made of free will, she regrets it now- she laments her role, her husband, and her place in the Underworld. Yet she brings hope with her wherever she goes, whether it be up top or below the surface; she runs a speakeasy behind her husband’s back, and is the reason why our hero Orpheus can attempt to save Eurydice. As Orpheus’s story is doomed to repeat, so is Persephone’s: she is only as free to be a goddess of springtime as she is to be a queen of death, spreading both (often the hope she distributes in the form of bottles corrupts mortals and turns them against themselves). And unlike her favored mortals, she is not even granted the escape of death, but must reign over the kingdom that represents the antithesis of her birthright.
And yet, in both Hymms, there is hope. Persephone has a role in the Underworld; a seed must first be sprouted before it can plant, and springtime relies upon winter to germinate and grow (La Fond 12:14 - 12:30). In Hadestown, she is able to soften her husband; much as he is inspired by her to harsh acts, his domain is kinder to those who enter it because of her influence, and a spark of love is rekindled due to his acceptance and embracing of her true nature.
While Hadestown may not be an entirely faithful reproduction of Persephone’s role in Greek mythology, it depicts well how Persephone may have evolved after millenia; tired, performing actions only by routine, and seeking any sort of divertisement to distract her from what she sees as the worst mistake of her life. At the same time, it allows for the flipside of Persephone’s story: that light cannot shine without the dark, and in fact owes its brilliance to it, which Persephone acknowledges and appreciates by the end of her story. As such, the Homeric Hymm to Demeter and Hadestown could even be viewed as two parts to the same story- the beginning and the end, forming an endless cycle together while maintaining the core ethos of Persephone’s story.
Emily Thanh Du
Out of all the characters, I believe Persephone is the most interesting character in Greek mythology because she is a symbol of both change and resilience. Her story isn’t just about being taken to the Underworld—it’s about transformation, strength, and finding power in unexpected places. Unlike other gods and goddesses, Persephone evolves which is why I find her story fascinating. Her story is personal to me because it reminds me that even in difficult times, we can adapt and find strength within ourselves. When I first learned about Persephone’s myth in the “Homeric Hymn to Demeter”, it resonated with me a lot because of how much I can relate to the lessons in real life. She is taken by Hades to the Underworld, and her mother, Demeter, falls into grief so deep that the earth itself suffers. Through this situation, she still ends up on top. Her story reflects the facts that we all live such different lives at different times. Persephone’s story has been told in many ways. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, she is shown in a traditional way, but modern books like Circe (2018) by Madeline Miller and The Goddess Test (2011) by Aimée Carter present her as someone who takes control of her fate instead of just being a victim. These newer versions make me appreciate Persephone even more because they highlight her strength and independence that much more.
What I love most about Persephone’s story is how relatable it is. We all go through times of change, of feeling out of control, and of having to find strength in unfamiliar places. That idea of transformation and her strength is something I hold onto and why she resonates with me personally. Her story teaches that even when we face struggles, we can become stronger at the end of it. Persephone is more than just a character in Greek mythology, she symbolizes resilience, growth, and power. She conveys the idea that change is not always bad and how we can grow from it. Her story has lasted for centuries because it is something everyone can relate to or learn from. It allows readers to believe that whenever a big change happens, it doesn’t mean that we should fail from it but we should learn to adapt to it and come out stronger from it. Whether in mythology, art, or literature, Persephone continues to inspire, and for me, she is the most fascinating character in all of Greek mythology.
Works Cited
Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Translated by Apostolos N. Athanassakis and Benjamin M. Wolkow, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.
La Fond, Marie. “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle: Demeter” Greek and Roman Myth. University of Washington, February 2025, chttps://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1782337/pages/lesson-5-video-lectures?module_item_id=22454092. Accessed 21 February 2025.
Miller, Madeline. *Circe*. Little, Brown and Company, 2018.
Mitchell, A. (n.d.). Hadestown original Broadway company – way down Hadestown Lyrics | Genius Lyrics. Genuis. https://genius.com/Hadestown-original-broadway-company-way-down-hadestown-lyrics
Ovid. *Metamorphoses*. Translated by David Raeburn, Penguin Classics, 2004.