Sorry kids, storytime is over. In this episode of ‘Throwback Thursday,” I want us to turn on our brains and consider this the varying interpretation of myths. To illustrate my point, I'll use the myth of Persephone. Consider this:
Persephone was not kidnapped by Hades and forced into becoming queen of the Underworld.
It's time to throw it back to ancient Greek storytime and discuss how this old myth is due for an update and is being reinterpreted in digital spaces such as Tumblr.
Poster of Hades and Persephone (Source)
WHAT IS A WRITING PROMPT
A brief passage of text that provides a potential topic idea or starting point for an original form of writing. It can be turned into multiple different stories, depending on the writer.
WHAT IS A RASHOMON-STYLE STORY
When the same event is recounted by several characters, and the stories differ completely. Each version is specific to the individual’s perspective.
Consider this: A young girl is on a mission to save her homeland and family. She begins her mission in secret by running away into the night. She is accompanied by a lovable and sarcastic sidekick. She sings a song about not living up to the expectations of being the “perfect daughter”. She tries to do what is expected of her, but her true desires always pull her back, causing strain and disappointment from her parents. Her family includes her cooky grandmother, her loving mother and her father, a prideful man who believes his choices will keep his family safe.
Am I talking about the 1998 Disney movie Mulan or the 2016 Disney movie Moana?
SO WHAT
When emotion, opinion, adjectives, and adverbs are added into a bare-bones sequence of events (or a prompt), the resulting stories can be altered by whoever is telling it to become whatever they want it to be (Rashomon-styled).
When there are multiple different versions of a story, it can be difficult to discern what actually happened. Think about a courtroom where multiple different versions of the same story are told. Efforts must be made to discern what actually happened. The listener must look past emotion and opinion and look only at the 100% facts of what actually happened.
APPLYING THIS TO PERSEPHONE
In the well-known version of the myth, Persephone is hidden away in the countryside by her mother, Demeter, to protect her from the gods and humans who wished to take her maidenhood. Years later, Persephone is kidnapped by Hades and brought to the Underworld. Upon discovering her daughter is missing, Demeter searches the globe for Persephone until the god Helios finally tells her what happened. Demeter then goes to Zeus and begs him to bring her daughter back. Unfortunately, Hades tricks Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds, which means she must remain in the Underworld forever. A deal is then made, stating that Persephone must stay in the Underworld for 6 months of each year, and may return to her mother for the other six months.
While this myth is well known, it also holds many inconsistencies in its retelling. Did Hades trick Persephone into eating the pomegranate seeds or did she unknowingly choose to eat them? Did Hades come up with the deal or was the titan Rhea sent by Zeus to broker the deal? Were they pomegranate seeds or grape seeds? The myth can change depending on who is telling the story.
The main consistency is Persephone's portrayal as a powerless victim to Hades. However, when considering writing prompts and Rashomon-style stories, this portrayal becomes questionable. Since myths were oral traditions, they were constantly subject to change and the true first version is not 100% known. We can only go off what was written by ancient writers (Traditionally all men, a gender that throughout time has portrayed women as weaker individuals with little choice or opinion, who need to be saved).
To determine what actually happened to Persephone, let’s take a look at the 100% factual-to-the-point-where-they-cannot-be-argued-against sequence of events:
Image courtesy of Emma Puddicombe
Now imagine giving this as a prompt to a creative writing class full of individuals who have never heard any version of this myth. What types of stories do you think would be written?
Moreover, consider how similar the myth of Persephone is to that of the 2010 Disney film Tangled. Both stories follow a daughter who is hidden away by her mother to "protect" her, she is brought to a new world by a boy who appears to have taken her away from her home and ends with an action that changes their life forever (eating pomegranate seeds vs. getting a haircut). Given these similarities, it's possible that Persephone was actually more like the independent-minded Rapunzel.
In the 21st century, however, a time when women in many parts of the world have more control over their lives, this myth’s intention is no longer applicable. I move that Persephone be recognized as a woman who had the ability to choose what she wanted and had control over what happened to her. Additionally, if you search “Persephone” on social media platforms (i.e. Tumblr) you will see that this is how she is continuously viewed by women today.
Tumblr post by Susiephone (Source)
Emotion, opinion, adjectives, and adverbs are powerful tools that can change a story drastically. The next time you hear a story, don’t be afraid to take a critical look at what you are hearing. A story that suits one era’s society, might need a new perspective today. People are encouraged to take what they need from the stories they hear, so remember to determine the facts of what happened first, then consider what a story can mean to you.
