The sweetening of the pomegranate

Even in the oldest texts, there is a double narrative around consent. We see it the most when we look at Persephone and Hades. Romanticised in modern books and art as if he did not coerce her in the original story. Children and teenage novels are speaking of a love story. All of it made up to cover his tracks of nonconsensual convincing. And although it hurts to admit; it’s a well-done cover-up.  It was so well done that even my partner, kind as he was, gifted me a necklace in the shape of a pomegranate. This, of course, without knowing the bittersweet irony in him doing so. Silver lined the fruit sat in its box glaring up at me. I cried, partly because this was an expensive gift, but partly because I knew his blissful ignorance.

When I questioned the gift he told me it was because I reminded him of her. Being compared to she who was seized, and never asked for her opinion in the matter, only allowed to speak when his deviltry had successfully enchanted her. To be quite fair my partner had only known the soft romanticised version, the one that spoke about how a woman was completely smitten and committed even to the harshest of creatures. He only knew she was said to hold the fierce beauty of nature. He saw in me someone capable of loving even the most horrid things. (Possibly also something we should unpack at some point, no?) The jewel dangles around my neck now, it has not left its place once.

“He seized her against her will, put her on his golden chariot, And drove away as she wept. She cried with a piercing voice,  calling upon her father [Zeus], the son of Kronos, the highest and the best. But not one of the immortal ones, or of human mortals, heard her voice.”

HOMERIC HYMN TO DEMETER. uh.edu/~cldue/texts/demeter.html.

She cried out and yet her father did not hear her. She was dragged off by her uncle (if the kidnapping in and of itself was not gross enough...) into the depths of ancient Greek religious beliefs. One could ponder if incest was maybe more casual and accepted in ancient Greece.  It is commonly known that the Gods of this culture were not made to be moral compasses for those who worshipped them. After all, we know Apollo stalked Daphne until she felt the need to turn into a literal tree (those two would have greatly benefitted from healthy communication if you ask me). Incest was not uncommon in mythology and between their deities. I know for a fact that it was okay in Rome for uncles to marry nieces. I presume that in Greece it was not frowned upon either.

Let us bring this story to a modern period, which some authors of teenage romances so desperately seem to try. As we sift through the sands of time we retrieve striking parallels with the contemporary themes, such as rape or power dynamics and consent, still staining our modern societies. This myth stands as a testament to the persistence of problematic tropes. It is not just a dusty relic some like to brush up on for enjoyment, but a living narrative that some authors continue to employ, shaping the view of romance and power in growing adults.

It is crucial to highlight that, in comparison, ancient Greek morals diverge significantly from those in a Christian- or post-Christian society.

As previously mentioned, the Greek gods were not intended as moral compasses; rather, their behaviours were meant to reflect human flaws. While I could delve into Nietzsche's 'On the Genealogy of Morals' to expound on Christian morality, it would likely divert us from the current discussion. The moral compass of humanity has undergone transformation through the embrace of a religion that extols virtues such as pity, love, and mercy. As we reflect on mythology through the lens of our contemporary morals, it is fair to acknowledge the differences, but it is equally important to recognize that it is unfair to impose our current moral standards on the original narrative, as it may distort the intended context. It is disconcerting and distasteful to transform the myth of Persephone and Hades into a sanitised, PG lovey-dovey tale, obscuring its original depth and complexities. You are not meant to be comfortable with possible insinuations of rape, kidnapping and coercion. 

Now, with all due respect, Zeus was not known for this piety. After all the god did turn into a ray of sunshine at some point to get laid. To facilitate misconduct seems to be the regular way of immortality for the gods, and the mightiest of them all wrote the book when it comes to a certain ‘persistence’ in courting. When rummaging the online lair I found people trying to comprehend the romanticisation of the god of death’s relationship with the young girl. The most gruesome was that; ‘It is less horrific than all the other romances in Greek Mythology.’ It seems suggested that we make up a balance where we weigh which rape or unconsented action was the least awful. I think it goes without saying that this is putrid. How about we don’t make it a regular habit to weigh these extremely problematic situations? Let us avoid teaching young people that we should see which way the scales tilt before we condemn someone’s unacceptable behaviour.