Kidnapped by Choice

In Greek mythology, Persephone is Demeter and Zeus’ daughter. Demeter is the goddess of crops and the fertility of the world. One day, as Persephone, a beautiful maiden, was picking flowers in Crete, Hades’ horses and chariot hurtled out of the ground and had her kidnapped. He had chosen Persephone to be his wife and the queen of the underworld.

No one wanted to pass on the news to Demeter, and Zeus did not wish to bring offence to his brother, Hades. 

When Demeter noticed her missing daughter, she began searching for her beloved, and ignored her duties as a goddess. Crops failed to grow and there were no births of birds, fish, animals, no one. The humans prayed to the gods for fortune, and when they were on the verge of extinction, Zeus finally decided to tell Demeter. 

Zeus sent Hermes to tell Demeter the news and Hermes told her where her daughter had gone. In order to be able to leave the underworld, one mustn’t eat or drink anything from the underworld. Unfortunately, Persephone ate 3 (some say 4 or 6) pomegranate seeds. After heavy bartering and bargaining, Persephone was allowed to go back to the human world – on the condition where she must return to Hades for as many months as the eaten seeds.

In most versions of this myth, Persephone was indeed captured by brute force, but according to some other versions, she chose to go down with Hades herself. Perhaps she enjoyed her life with her new husband and her new kingdom. There is one myth which tells that Persephone trapped Theseus and Pirithous, two mortals who ventured into the underworld to rescue her. She stuck them to a golden chair and served them a splendid delish, therefore cursing and binding their souls to the underworld. In some lesser known myths, Persephone seems rather content with her life as the queen of the underworld, and was ready to protect it from intruders. She might’ve even been eager to return to the darkness after her time allowed dwelling on Earth.

Perhaps, both these versions prove true. Persephone is often depicted as a victim of Hades, snatched away forcefully. Although maybe during the time which Demeter searched desperately for her, she began to grow accustomed to her new surroundings. Since she figured that she wouldn’t be able to leave the underworld, Persephone decided to settle in and make a living there. Often, changes just need to be accepted, so perhaps later on, Persephone chooses to stay with Hades and soon began to love her new kingdom, new powers, and new realm of darkness.

“After all, it is out of darkness that the new life of spring emerges, out of dark soil that spring bulbs send their green shoots, and out of the hidden womb that babies push their way” – Classical Mythology: Myths and legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. Persephone possibly enjoyed living in the underworld instead of dreading it.

At first glance, new things seem dangerous and uncertain. They have unknown, unforeseen consequences and/or profits. It is a gamble. Often are people blinded by their comfort zones and paradigms, and refuse to see things with a new light. It is only after accepting the change, will the wholly truth and benefits come up.

This myth is commonly told from the perspective of a despairing mother, Demeter; it is told with her sorrow. What would the story be like – what would the scenario be – if it were not Demeter’s point of view, but Persephone’s? Did she dread the underworld so, or did she accept it?