The Myth of Demeter-Persephone

Subject Areas : Christianity

ابوالقاسم  اسماعیل پور ¹ (ندارد)
مهدیه  سید نورانی ² (ندارد)

Received: 2014-10-18 Accepted : 2014-10-18 Published : 2008-09-22

Keywords: Fertility, Demeter or Ceres, Persephone, Zeus, Hades, Helios, Eleusis, Teriptolemos,

Abstract :

This article firstly embarks on introducing the leading characters of themyth; such as the goddesses Demeter and Persephone, and the god ofthe underworld, Hades. Afterwards the main story of the myth, which isthe kidnapping of Persephone by Hades, is told; while the other godsand secondary characters are mentioned. The story goes on to the pointwhere the return of the goddess Persephone to the earth bringsprosperity and fertility back to it. So the article continues withanalyzing the myth and comparing its symbolic elements with thechanges of seasons and the cycle of the nature and human life. In theend, due to the setting of the myth, which is called Eleusis, thetraditions and the rites of Eleusis are mentioned.