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In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of the mother goddess Demeter who was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. While being held in the underworld, she eats a pomegranate seed and is subsequently doomed to remain in the underworld for eternity until Demeter successfully argued that since only part of the pomegranate was consumed, Persephone is only required to spend part of each year with Hades. As a result of this plea bargain, when Persephone is incarcerated in the underworld, Demeter’s grief for her daughter causes nature to slip into autumn and then winter until Persephone is released again and spring begins.
I have a few issues with this little yarn, when I consider it from Persephone’s point of view. She was, after all, considered a goddess in her own right. I find it hard to believe that she’s simply an innocent beauty who just happened to completely space out on underworld regulations at exactly the wrong moment and needed mommy to save her. What if she knew exactly what she was doing?
Let’s try it from this angle: Persephone is out clubbing one night with Aphrodite and Athena and spots Hades rocking out on stage with Styx. He is so hot that Persephone can’t take her eyes off him and she immediately decides she needs to get herself some of THAT. However, Persephone is only too aware that her mother is an overprotective battle-ax and there is no way in Hell she would approve. So, Persephone arranges for Mommy Dearest to catch a glimpse of hunky Hades with Persephone in his chariot on the way to his place for a little midnight snack. Demeter flips out thinking her innocent little girl’s been snatched and goes to Zeus to convince him to do something about it. Meanwhile, Persephone has her way with Hades and nibbles on the pomegranate to ensure her ability to obtain another booty call whenever she gets the itch. When Zeus and Demeter show up, Persephone feigns innocence and leads them down the primrose path of logic to work out a solution that allows Persephone to get her freak on with Hades and still remain an innocent victim in the eyes of her mother and not get kicked off Mount Olympus. It is a win-win situation for Persephone – six months partying with her goddess-friends and six months ravishing the hottest god in Hell, all the while keeping her place in her mother’s heart.
So, if you were Persephone, how would you rather live your life? Are you a flighty, helpless little girl who can’t do anything for herself, or are you a Goddess who has the intellect and power to shape your own destiny? I believe every woman has an inner goddess. Let her out.