While Ancient Greeks believed that Demeter’s emotions led to the changing of the seasons, these days we know different! Children are to prepare a presentation for another class on why seasons change. Write two diary entries for Demeter: one following the day that Persephone leaves for the underworld and one for the day she returns. We get a strong sense of Demeter’s emotions when Persephone leaves for the underworld and when she returns. Remind them to use powerful and persuasive language Hades is no pushover! Invite children to write a letter to Hades to persuade him to release Persephone. Invite children to produce a still life drawing or painting of the halved pomegranate for display. If this is not possible, use images from the web. If possible, have some real pomegranates for children to study. Can children now identify the lady and the item in her hand? Pomegranates have often featured in literature and art. Have any of the children seen this painting before? Do they know what the lady is holding? Don’t give anything away at this stage as you will discuss this further after watching the video. Show children an image of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s ‘Proserpine’ (an alternative name for Persephone). But they regrow with her joy, when Persephone returns in the spring. Demeter’s sadness as Persephone leaves for the Underworld makes the plants wither in the Autumn. Zeus decided that because Persephone had only eaten a tiny amount she could return to Earth for six months of the year.Īnd this is how the seasons began. So Hades demanded that she stay with him forever. Persephone had eaten some seeds from a pomegranate. But she could only return if she had not eaten any food while in the Underworld. Zeus, chief of the gods, promised Demeter he would bring Persephone back. When Demeter found out that Hades had seized her daughter she became very sad and stopped caring about the harvest. Hades pulled Persephone into his chariot and took her back to the Underworld. He saw Persephone and instantly fell in love with her. And with that in mind, on to the recommendations for this week! Which, surprising no one I’m sure after that introduction, is Hades and Persephone retellings that I was able to find when searching on the interwebs.Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of the harvest, and lived with her mother on the Island of Sicily.Ī volcano on the island erupted and Hades emerged from his underworld kingdom. But it’s still, if you’ll pardon the pun, food for thought. ![]() Now, I do understand that the idea behind the myth is to explain the changing of the seasons. Poet Danielle Michalleni touched on this in her haunting “ Persephone Speaks” poem where it turns the myth around and says that she chose to eat the fruit. After that experience, I began to have questions. The first time I ate one I got super frustrated at the amount of effort it took. And when she finally breaks her fast, she picks the pomegranate a fruit that is so difficult to eat, it is like the food equivalent of Fort Knox.Īnd I’m not exaggerating. Right when this decree is being made, Persephone suddenly decides to nom on something. By signing up you agree to our terms of use Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.
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