The Myth of Hades and Persephone
Who is Hades?
- Hades is the god of the underworld, ruling over the dead and the riches of the earth.
Who is Persephone?
- Persephone is the goddess of the spring growth and the daughter of Demeter, goddess of agriculture.
How does Hades kidnap Persephone?
- Hades takes Persephone while she's picking flowers, luring her into a trap.
What happens to the earth when Persephone is in the underworld?
- Demeter, Persephone's mother and goddess of agriculture, becomes so grief-stricken that she neglects her duties and the earth becomes barren.
How does Persephone feel about being in the underworld?
- Persephone is initially scared and unhappy in the underworld, but eventually learns to love Hades and her new home.
Why does Hades offer Persephone a pomegranate?
- Hades offers Persephone a pomegranate as a way to convince her to stay in the underworld with him. By eating the fruit, she becomes bound to the underworld for a portion of each year.
What happens when Persephone returns to the surface?
- Persephone is overjoyed to be reunited with her mother and returns to the surface to bring new life and growth to the earth.
What is the significance of the myth of Hades and Persephone?
- The myth of Hades and Persephone explains the changing of the seasons, with Persephone's time in the underworld corresponding to winter and her return to the surface bringing spring.
How does Demeter react when she learns that Hades has taken Persephone?
- Demeter is heartbroken and falls into a deep depression when she learns that Hades has taken Persephone.
What is the moral of the myth of Hades and Persephone?
- The myth of Hades and Persephone teaches us about the cyclical nature of life, and how everything has a balance that must be maintained.
