Spring Comes to Hades and Keeps Coming Back: An Analysis of Historical and Modern Adaptations of the Persephone Myth
Date
2016-12
Authors
Schmidt, Lauren Virlee
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Abstract
The arrival of the twenty-first century signaled a new era of development and reevaluation of cultural beliefs and mores. Changes to the West can be observed in new forms of media and perspectives on gender, power, and choice. The myth of Persephone, after being adapted sporadically in the last two hundred years, experienced a resurgence in the new millennia. Its new adaptations by young creators exemplify a shift in the West towards acceptance and common ground. By analyzing works of art and literature both before and after the year 2000, this thesis will assess what trends are upheld and which are discarded with the new age. Decreased gender rigidity, reevaluation of choice, and exploration of power are all rising themes in new adaptations of the Persephone myth, mirroring societal development and new accepted norms in modern Western culture.
Description
Keywords
Persephone myth, social values, western culture, graph theory, Hades, Greek mythology, Honors College
Citation
Schmidt, L. V. (2016). Spring comes to Hades and keeps coming back: An analysis of historical and modern adaptations of the Persephone myth (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.