Hi everyone!
I saw the post regarding Persephone worship, and it reminded me of it reminded me of some questions I have regarding Persephone’s myth and deity worship in general.
There is a modern version that describes the union of Persephone and Hades as mutual; that Persephone willingly descended into the Underworld (rebelling against Demeter, who was an overbearing mother) and fell in love with Hades. It appears that there’s a bit of controversy, because while myths are not set in stone, these are two drastically different versions of the story. Some people defend the modern version, saying that myths can change over time and that this newer retelling gives Persephone more autonomy, but others say that it’s unfair to Persephone and Demeter, because it erases the pain that they both suffered. Not to mention that Hades is also portrayed quite differently depending on the version you accept. I like the modern myth, but I don’t want to risk disrespecting Persephone either.
So, my questions are:
- What is the purpose of myths, especially when they’re not (from what I’ve heard) meant to be taken literally?
- How do we incorporate myth into our worship and practice when variants of myths exist?
- Is there a “right” myth that should guide our knowledge of deities?