- Anna De Soto, Masks Artist, MoA Visitor Services Associate and CSU Student
In our Mask exhibition this year we had a new theme, Persephone masks. Why were there so many and why this year? Recently (with in the last 3ish years) there has been a movement in the literary world of feminist retellings of both popular myths and less popular myths. The “love story” of Persephone and Hades is a popular one to retell. Big, brooding, mysterious God of the Underworld, Hades and sweet, small, naive Goddess of Spring, Persephone. Many of these stories depict a loving, at times spicy, romance between two misunderstood Gods. Except, the actual myth is anything but that. The story goes that Hades saw Persephone and fell in love so he asked Zeus if he could “have” her. When Hades kidnaps Persephone it is referred to as “the abduction of Persephone”. The notion that women did not have a say in their bodily autonomy was not an uncommon theme in Greek mythology. When in the underworld, Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds, a fruit that symbolized marriage and her now duty to stay in the underworld with Hades. She compromised with Zeus and her mother that in the spring she would return to earth and perform her duties then return to the underworld in the fall.
So, why are we seeing this reoccurring theme of Persephone? The goddess has become a symbol of feminine power and taking back bodily autonomy. It doesn’t come as a surprise to me that more women are starting to admire Persephone as a powerful female figure especially in a time where people are actively calling attention to the unjust acts that are happening against women in a male dominated society. She is a Powerful fertility Goddess that symbolizes growth and change and having the ability to choose the path you desire. Below I have included some book recommendations that I have read and loved. These books are retellings of some lesser-known myths but from the point of view of the women the so called “heroes” of the original stories stepped on for their own power grab. They are a mix of Persephone, Medusa, Circe, and a few others who didn’t get their own voice in their original tellings. Most of these titles include adult themes so reader discretion advised.
- Upper Left: 2024 Persephone Inspired Masks: Tea Feliciano, Lower Left: Anna De Soto, Lower Right: Chelsea Ermer
- Song of Achilles by Madline Miller
- Retelling of Achilles and Patroclus and their romantic relationship in the Trojan War.
- Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
- Story of how Ariadne was the only reason Theseus was able to defeat the Minotaur.
- Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
- How Medusa was just a young woman that was taken advantage by a god then deemed an evil woman. Interesting take on how even in death she still had no bodily autonomy.
- Circe by Madline Miller
- About Odysseus landing on Circes island and took advantage of her, so she turned his whole crew into pigs. Also, about the yearlong love affair Odysseus had with her while his wife was waiting patiently at home for him.
- The Penelopaid by Margret Atwood
- Speaking of Odysseus’ wife, this book is about Penelope and her 10-year plight waiting for her cheating husband to return home. All while fighting off suitors looking to take control of her island of Ithica.
- A Touch of Darkness trilogy (Spicy) by Scarlet St. Clair
- A nice not one-sided romantic retelling of Persephone and Hades. Persephone has a lot of power in this series. The A Touch of… series are told in Persephone’s point of view while the A Game of… series are told in Hade’s point of view.