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Greek myths have changed considerably over the years. With the introduction of different cultural shifts and a variety of retellings, their origins change and alter, bringing new and interesting angles to existing stories. As a result, it is difficult for modern scholars to come to an agreement regarding the correct version of mythological events or establish a concrete canon for any events. This process becomes even more complicated when artistic retellings or changes between Greek and Roman pantheon are considered. In the process of being adapted to another audience, the Greek gods lost some of the qualities that made them who they were, gaining new names, origins and abilities. In some cases, it would be difficult to tell that the two figures were originally the same and not inspired by each other. This is especially true in cases such as Demeter and Persephone vs Ceres and Proserpina. The two mother-daughter pairs were covered by an ancient writer Ovid, who is known for revisiting existing narratives and bringing them fresher ideas. As a result, the image of Demeter and Ceres, as well as Persephone and Proserpina have become literarily divorced from each other, serving different narrative purposes.
In order to understand the differences, it is important to discuss them and highlight how they mesh with the author’s skill. In each pair, the mother is a protective figure, a goddess of agriculture and harvest said to closely collaborate with humans. At the same time, their daughter is pure, young and maidenly, creating a vision for women of the time. Both Persephone and Proserpina become abducted, causing their mothers great distress. Despite their circumstances, the daughters are eventually found and partially rescued, continuing the theme of connecting religious figures to important meteorological events. Interestingly, the reason and the process of abduction itself change dramatically between the characters. For Persephone, the kidnapping was a way for her future husband, Hades, to capture a woman he fancied. Hates took a liking to Persephone, so he took her to the underworld by force. This falls in line with the typical topics discussed by Ovid, concerning daring and questionable acts of passion made by Gods and people of myth.
Alternatively, Persephone’s counterpart Proserpina is moved away from the implied kidnapping and rape. Instead, her captor is Dis, who is not the same person she becomes engaged to (Ovid 535). The counterpart of Hades, Pluto, is removed from the violence and unwanted implications of a forced relationship between the two. In addition, the idea of appearance vs reality is explored deeply within the poet’s works. This can be seen in the symbolism of the pomegranate in the story. In both versions, the fruit is used to make the daughter stay in the underworld and seal her marriage. In this way, a simple food item becomes something larger and more spiritually important despite its appearance. Furthermore, it can be said that in the older version, Persephone is tricked into eating the pomegranate seeds deliberately so that Hades can make her stay with him in the underworld. Comparatively, Proserpina eats the pomegranate partially of her own choice, making the process less one-sided. As a result of changes introduced by the poet, the interaction and dynamics between the characters, specifically Demeter, Persephone and Hades, change dramatically.
Work Cited
Ovid. Metamorphoses. Signet Book, 1960.
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