Clutching Narcissus in Bloomington, MN

The myth of Persephone's abduction has been a popular story retold for many hundreds of years. It is a creation myth, told to explain the changing of seasons. The taking of Persephone is often the focus of these retellings. Its themes of consent and body autonomy of an innocent, nubile goddess are of deep interest to readers and writers alike. The taboo elements of incest, rape, and child brides have captivated generations of audiences. Persephone is a symbol of innocence, which by contrast forces Hades into the role of the corrupt or immoral. Corruption, often associated with knowledge, is pitted against the innocence of her naiveté. Many of the retellings focus on the contrasting depictions of Hades and Persephone and the devastation their union wrought upon Earth. In most accounts of this story, Zeus gives Hades permission to take the lovely Persephone, which allows the lord of the underworld to pursue her. Demeter punishes the humans of Earth with devastating Winter conditions, which prompts Zeus to ask for Persephone's return. All of these machinations are done outside of Persephone's control. Power becomes a core concept in how her story is told. Whether she is perceived as being a willing participant or not varies, but it is rare for a writer to capture her ascension to Queen of the Underworld. This is just one of the many ways Kim Malinowski's work breaks into new territory.