Homeric Hymn to Demeter
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The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is unique piece of writing found in early Greek narrative poetry, especially within the concentration of the females perspective in Greek society. As well as how they tie incidents in with symbolism. In this way, the Hymn can supplement for us the fragments of Sappho and other women poets of this time. However, Marylin Arthur author of Politics and Pomegranates: An interpretation of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter uses physiological analysis to dig deeper as well as Ron Koertge, ―Three Poems: Hades, Persephone, Demeter in which they both speak about “myth, ritual, and literature” found within the works of the Classical Greeks.
The Homeric Hymn to Demeter can be interpreted in many diverse ways. It is most commonly viewed as a mythological account for the seasons. It can also be viewed, however, as an exploration of the “ideal” life of women for the ancient Greeks. It contains a narrative of the various stages in the life of various women. While some are divine and others are mortals, they share similar experiences – which suggest the hymn is attempting to show commonalities. The hymn explores maidenhood and motherhood. Since women in many ancient Greek cultures were secluded from men, a womans relationship with other women was an important aspect of her life. The relationship between mother and daughter is emphasized, especially how it is affected by the transition of a daughter from maidenhood to motherhood.
Merylin Arthur, the author of Politics and Pomegranates: An interpretation of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, believes it is thanks to Homer and Hesiod two archaic poets that “gave the Greeks their Gods” (by giving us written accounts of their oral ‘history) and giving a chronological order of how the Gods had came to be, as well as the contrasting and similar roles between male and female deities. She also brings up the idea that before the Greeks had writing, or maybe how all documentation of it was destroyed that the possibility of their society was dominated by woman, and it was only the growth of the idea of male supremacy that the creation of more powerful male Gods were created in the hopes to over-throw the more older and powerful mother/female goddess. Other than that Ancient Grease was a male dominated society, with poets other than a few female like Sappho writing in the female prospective. The original hymn is in a way a story to keep woman in their places, and not to doubt the words or beliefs of the male.
Ron Koertge, the poet behind the Three Poems: Hades, Persephone, Demeter takes a modern twist on the classical poem of Homers Homeric Hymn to Demeter by writing a poem for each of the main Gods and Goddesses of the original Hymn; Hades, Persephone, and Demeter.