Of Pluto And Proserpina In Ovid's Metamorphoses

Power dynamics in Ancient Greco-Roman society have contributed to the normalization of sexual violence throughout Pluto and Proserpina’s story. The story of Pluto and Proserpina in Ovid’s Metamorphoses was first heard of in Homer’s The Homeric Hymn to Demeter around the 7th or 6th B.C.E. It is first mentioned within Greek mythology by Homer and later in Roman mythology by Ovid in 8 AD. The story of Pluto or Hades and Proserpina or Persephone has over time been interpreted as a romantic love story between the goddess of spring and the god of the underworld. The story is an epic poem told from an omniscient third-person point of view and the original Metamorphoses was written in Latin. After Pluto is struck by Cupid’s arrow at Venus’ order, he

While the story of Pluto and Proserpina is often portrayed as romantic, Pluto in reality raped Proserpina, there is a complete lack of consent as Pluto takes Proserpina’s virginity. This becomes even more disturbing when considering genealogy and finding out that Pluto is Proserpinas’ uncle. The citation details that Proserpina was “loved” and that Pluto was in a “rush of love.” The use of the word love throughout the story further reinforces the idea that the rape of Proserpina is a beautiful, intimate, and consensual event. Even when Ceres goes to Jove about this, he is not worried for his daughter and more worried for his brother saying, “Be willing to face the facts: this was not done through wickedness, but love. He will not shame us, this brother of mine, as son-in-law, if only you can be gracious” (Ovid 1955, 123). Jove responds to the news of his daughter being raped by his brother nonchalantly, his morals and ethics not including those of consent, respect, and equality. This is another indicator of the careless, accepting attitude towards sexual violence in classical antiquity. It is obvious that it was not consensual on Proserpina’s part, calling out to her mother and comrades as she was raped. Cyane is another character in the story who attempts to help Proserpina and acknowledges that what Pluto is doing is

Both Jove and Arethusa hint that Pluto raping Proserpina is a sort of blessing for her. Arethusa describes Proserpina to Ceres as “Sorrowful, to be sure, and still half-frightened, and still a queen, the greatest of the world of darkness, and an empress, the proud consort of the proud ruler of the world of darkness” (Ovid 1955, 123). With every worry about Proserpina’s well-being comes a justification for Pluto’s actions because he is a man and he is the god of the underworld. The perception that Proserpina ought to take the chance to benefit from Pluto in this awful, distressing event is indicative of women’s survival in the past based on marriage to men and gender dynamics. There is symbolism present throughout the telling of Pluto and Proserpina’s marriage. Before being raped, Proserpina is gathering flowers and has them all in a basket. As she is being raped by Pluto, the flowers begin to fall, a symbol of her virginity and innocence being taken away from her. It is mentioned that Proserpina grieves the loss of her flowers and this can be interpreted as her grieving the loss of her innocence. The pomegranate is another symbol, representing fertility, marriage, and life and death. The seven pomegranate seeds that Proserpina eats are the only thing tying her to the underworld and Pluto, binding her into a marriage with the god of the underworld. The four seasons are a symbol of life