Kaitlyn Tan
Senior Thesis | 2026
KaitlynTan
SeniorThesis
Dr.Alonge
2March2026
ModernMythImaginingsandContemporaryMotherhood Introduction:Rich,Spitz,andTheOriginalHomericHymn
Forcenturies,themythofPersephone’skidnappinghas beentoldandretoldthroughnumerousdifferentmediumsand voices.MostcommonlyframedasastoryofDemeter’slossand maleauthority,themythhasbeenrememberedwithoutany emphasisontherelationshipatthecenterofthestory.However,in retellingsofPersephoneandDemeter,contemporarypoets transformthefocusofthestoryfromgriefandpatriarchalcontrol todefiningthecomplexrelationshipbetweenmothersand daughters.ByprovidingavoiceforPersephone,poetssuchasRita DoveandA.E.Stallingsincorporatethefeministre-visiontoldby AdrienneRichandshiftthedefinitionofmotheranddaughterinto anintertwined,reciprocaldynamic.Thiscontinuous mother-daughterrelationshipappearsinregularmaternalpoetryas well;AdaLimonandCarmenGimenez’sworkscenteronthe evolvingexperienceofbeingbothadaughterandamother, redefiningtheancientmythofthe“eternaldaughter”.
“Re-vision,”aphrasecoinedbyAdrienneRich,istheactof lookingbackonatraditionalstoryinordertoshifttheperspective oftheoppressedpopulationsfromsuppressedtoempowered.1 In Rich’sexample,HenrikIbsen’splay When We Dead Awake,the malecharacterachievesgreatnesswhileobjectifyinghismuseand consequentlydrainingthefemalecharacterofemotionandsoul. Richargueshowthismaleartist-femalemuserelationshipisa consistentculturaltropethatdisempowerswomenbyvaluingthem onlybytheirusefulnesstowardmen,aswellasremovingtheir
1 Adrienne Rich, “When We Dead Awaken: Writing as Re-Vision,” College English 34, no 1 (1972): 18–30, https://doi org/10 2307/375215
owncreativityandauthority.Sheinsists,however,thatwomen readthesestoriesinsteadofavoidingthem–notwithalensof submission,butwithalensof“re-vision”.Richexplains,“Until wecanunderstandtheassumptionsinwhichwearedrenchedwe cannotknowourselves.Andthisdrivetoself-knowledge,for woman,ismorethanasearchforidentity:itispartofherrefusal oftheself-destructivenessofmale-dominatedsociety.”2 Crucially, Rich’sre-visionextendsbeyondplaysandmodernliterature,as manyancientmythsarefoundationaltothecurrentmediaand culturesurroundingtheconceptofwomanhood.Oneoftheoldest andmostinfluentialmythsisthestoryofDemeterandPersephone, originallytranscribedinthe Homeric Hymn to Demeter.Asamyth thatoriginallycentersoppressivepatriarchalstructures,applying Rich’sre-visiontoanalyzethisstorywouldshiftthenarrativefrom oneofmalecontroltoonethatcentersfemaleagencyandthe continuouspowerofthemother-daughterrelationship.
EllenHandlerSpitz,inherpaper“MothersandDaughters: AncientandModernMyths”,explainsthemother-daughter relationshipbetweenDemeterandPersephone,centeringonthe wayitempowerswomen.Spitzportraysthisbondascyclical ratherthanlinear,specificallydescribingboththecontinuous growth,awayfromandtowardeachother,andintergenerational identity.Sheclaimsthatgrowth—evenwhenitis oppositonal—canstrengthentherelationshipovertime,writing, “Mothersanddaughterswhoreestablishrapportafterthediscord ofadolescencestandtodiscovermorefullytheirownunique capacitiesfornurturance.”3 Ratherthanframingseparationasafull severance,Spitzrepresentsitasaphasewithinanongoingprocess ofmutualidentification.Shewritesthatthe“daughterandmother
2 Rich, “When We Dead Awaken.”
3 Ellen Handler Spitz, “Mothers and Daughters: Ancient and Modern Myths,” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 48, no 4 (1990): 411–20, https://doi org/10 2307/431577
areoneandthattheirexperiencesbothreciprocateandreplicate eachother.”4 Spitzreinterpretsthemyth,specificallyPersephone’s roleasamother,toprovethatDemeterandPersephoneare oppositeandequalversionsofoneanother.Additionally,sheuses excerptsfromwriterssuchasAmyTanandJamaicaKincaidto furthertheideathatmothersanddaughtersarenotsetroles,and ratherevolvethrougheachotherovertime.
Theoriginal Homeric Hymn to Demeter,firsttranscribedat around650-600B.C.E.,tellsthestoryofPersephone,thedaughter ofZeusandDemeter,andherkidnapping.Demeteristhegoddess ofgrainandharvestinancientGreece,andherbeloveddaughter Persephoneistakenfromherbythegodandkingofthe Underworld,Hades.Inhergrief,Demeterwithholdsher agriculturalfertilityasatactictoconvinceZeustobringher daughterback.ThelandsturnbarrenandtheGreeksstarve— explainingthefirstwinter.IntheUnderworld,Persephoneis fearful,butHadesattemptstoprovidecomfort,andtricksherinto consumingpomegranateseeds.UnbeknownsttoPersephone,the consumptionoffoodintheUnderworldtieshertoHades indefinitely.WhenZeusallowsPersephonetoreturn,itis discoveredthatshecannotfullybeseveredfromHadesandhis kingdom.Thus,itisdecidedthatPersephonemustcomedownto theunderworldfor,dependingonthevariationofthestory, one-thirdorone-halfofeveryyear,explainingthebarrenseasonof winter.5
Throughouttheoriginalwrittenhymn,Persephoneisgiven onlyonechancetospeak.Thislineisnotexpressingheropinion, ratheritisframedthroughanothermalegod’spower.Persephone’s linesreporttheeventsofherkidnapping,describingwhatwas donetoher,andnotplacingherselfasanindividualinthestory.
4 Spitz, “Mothers and Daughters.”
5 Helen P Foley, ed , The Homeric Hymn to Demeter (Princeton University Press, 1994)
Forinstance,whenPersephonerecountsHades’trickery,she describes,“ThenIleaptupforjoy,buthestealthilyputinmy mouthafoodhoney-sweet,apomegranateseed,andcompelledme againstmywillandbyforcetotasteit.”6 Shedoesnotdescribeher ownthoughts,onlywhatwasacteduponherbyHades.This limitednarration,despitePersephonebeingthemaincatalystofthe myth,forceshertobeanobjectofthestory,ratherthanasubject. Hervoiceisonlyallowedtobeusedtodescribewhathappenedto her,andnottointerpretorredefineit,depictingalackofautonomy inhersituationandinthestory.Thisshowstheimportanceof contemporarypoetsgivingPersephoneavoice.Intheirpoems, Persephonerecountsherexperienceswithouttheinfluenceof others,acknowledgesherfaults,andsatiricallypointsout prejudicesagainstwomen.Byretellingherstory, Persephone—and,byextension,otherwomen—reclaimsagency withinthemyth,enactingRich’sre-vision.Modernpoetsalso elaborateonPersephone’ssimilaritywithhermother,relatingtheir experiencesandtherebysupportingSpitz’scyclical mother-daughterrelationship.Traditionally,Persephoneisdepicted astheeternaldaughtertoDemeter,butthecontemporarypoets createanewperspective,notonlybygivinginterioritytothe characters,butshiftingthedefinitionofdaughterandmothertobe connectedwitheachother.
RitaDoveandMotherhood’sCyclicalBond
WhiletheHomericHymnsilencesPersephoneandcenters maleauthority,contemporarypoetsrespondbyreturninginteriority tothewomeninthestory.RitaDove,inherpoetrycollection Mother Love,retellsthemyththroughalensthatreframes Persephone’sabductionasaneventofemerging independence—thusplacingmoreemphasisonthe mother-daughterrelationshipratherthanmalecontrolalone.Inthe
6Foley, Homeric Hymn to Demeter, 22, lines 411–13
poem“Missing”,DovewritesinPersephone’sperspective, allowingPersephonetodescribeherselfwithouttheinfluenceof other’sactions.Persephonenarrates“Iamthedaughterwhowent outwiththegirls,/nevercheckedbackinandnothingmarkedmy ‘last/knownwhereabouts,’notasingleglisteningpetal.”7 Dove’s interpretationofPersephoneportraysnotahelplessvictim,buta curiousyounggirl.Thismoderninterpretationframesherdescent asasteptowardindependence,suggestingPersephoneand Demeter’srelationshipasanuniversalexperienceofdaughtersand mothers.Persephone’semergingindependencedoesnotendher bondwithhermother.Instead,DoveturnstoDemetertoshowhow theirrelationshipadaptstotheirseparation.
DoveexploresDemeter’sgriefthroughimaginingthe goddess’svoice,insteadoftellingadistantstoryofthegods.By usinghervoice,DoveportraysDemeterasacharactershifting throughcyclesofgriefandgrowingtounderstandherdaughter’s independenceratherthanseeminglikearigidlyoverprotective mother.Therearetwopoemswhosetitlesareformattedina similarfashionwhichdepictthischangemostevidently.Inthe fifthsectionofDove’sbook,thereisapoemtitled“Demeter Mourning”. Nothingcanconsoleme.Youmaybringsilk tomakeskinsigh,dispenseyellowroses inthemannerofripeneddignitaries. Youcantellmerepeatedly Iamunbearable(andIknowthis): still,nothingturnsthegoldtocorn, nothingissweettothetoothcrushingin.
I’llnotaskfortheimpossible; onelearnstowalkbywalking.
7 Rita Dove, Mother Love (W W Norton & Company, 1995), 62
IntimeI’llforgetthisemptybrimming, Imaylaughagainat abird,perhaps,chuckingthenest butitwillnotbehappiness, forIhaveknownthat.
ThispoemistoldfromDemeter’sperspectiveafterlosingher daughter,andshewritestothereader,“Youcantellmerepeatedly /Iamunbearable(andIknowthis).”8 Demeteracknowledgesher extrememourning,yetcannotputanendtoit.Heruseof “unbearable”describestheeffectshehasonpeoplearoundher, hintingtowardtheworld’slossoffertility.Shecontinuestosay, “nothingturnsthegoldtocorn,/nothingissweettothetooth crushingin.”9 Here,Demeterdescribeshergriefthroughimagesof barrencrops,signalingnotonlyheremotionalemptinessbutalso thephysicalwithdrawalofheragriculturalfertilityfromtheworld. However,thisactofgriefsetsthestageforDemeter’sgrowthin Dove’slaterpoems.InthesixthsectionofDove’sbook,thereisa similarlytitledpoem“Demeter,Waiting”whereDemeter’svoice haschanged.
No.Whocanbearit.Onlysomeone whohateherself,whobelieves topullahandbackfromadaughter’scheek istoputloveintoherpocketlikeoneofthoseashenChristian philosophers,orawar-boundsoldier.
SheisgoneagainandIwillnotbear it,Iwilldragmygriefthroughawinter ofmyownmakingandrefuse anymeadowthatrecyclesitselfinto
8 Dove, Mother Love, 48
9 Dove, Mother Love, 48
hope.Shitonthecicadas,drymeteor flash,finickybutterflies!Iwillwailandthrash untilthewholegoddamnedgoldenpanoramafreezes over.ThenIwillsitdowntowaitforher.Yes.
Demeterbeginsthepoemwithanger,writing“Only/someone whohatesherself,whobelieves/topullahandbackfroma daughter’scheek/istoputloveintoherpocket.”10 Shefeels justifiedinherdepressiontowardherdaughter’sindependence,as Demeterbelievesthatlettinggoisnotthecorrectwaytocarefora child.Nevertheless,Demetercalmsatthepoem’send,saying, “ThenIwillsitdowntowaitforher.Yes.”11 Herabrupt decisivenessinthesesentencesreflectafinalityandresignation thatthereisnothingshecandotobringherdaughterback. Demeterstillcaresdeeplyaboutherdaughter,butunlike“Demeter Mourning”,sheisnolongeractingonhergrief—rather,shewaits. Thusbeginsherslowacceptanceofherdaughter’smetaphorical independence.
Mother Love concludeswithDove’spoem“HerIsland”, whichsuggeststhatdistancecandeepenconnectionbyallowing bothmotheranddaughtertogrowseparatefromeachother—an ideathatreflectsSpitz’scyclicalmodelofthemother-daughter bond.
Throughsunlightintoflowers shewalked,andwaspulleddown. Asimplestory,amother'sdeepest dread thatherchildcoulddrown insweetness.
Wherethechariotwentunder noonecanfathom.Waterkeepsitshorrors
10 Dove, Mother Love, 56
11 Dove, Mother Love, 56
whileSkyproclaimshis,hangsthem Instars.OnlyEarth wild motherwecanneverleave(evennow we’veleanedagainsther,headsbowed againsttheheat) knows nostory’severfinished;itjustgoes on,unnoticedinthedarkthat’sall aroundus:blazedstone,thegroundclosed.
Dovewrites,“OnlyEarth-wild/motherwecanneverleave(even now/we'veleanedagainsther,headsbowed/againsttheheart)knows/nostory'severfinished.”12 Inthispoem,Dovecompares theearthtoamother,implyingthatnomatterhowfaronegoes, theyarealwaysconnectedtotheirmother,ortheearth. Additionally,Dove’simageryofleaningagainstearth’sheart reflectstheimageofchildrenontheirmother’schests.Through thismetaphor,Doveimpliesmotherhoodistrustingthecycle, lettinggo,yetstillknowingthebondcontinues.AsSpitzwrites, “Theancientmyth,whichtellsitsstorymanifestlyfromthe mother'sside,stressesDemeter'sdesiretobeavailableasan ongoingpresenceinPersephone'slife,toplayanactiveroleandto fosteridentificationsbetweenherdaughterandherself,butthisis equallytrueinreverse.Itrelatesthesufferingattendantupontheir inevitableseparationsandthegradualacceptanceofchangesin theirrelationship.”13 Demeter’sacceptanceofPersephone’snew lifeoutsideofDemetershiftsherawayfromgrief,allowingtheir bondtocontinuestrongerratherthanbebrokenbydistance.Inthis way,Dove’sportrayalofDemeteralignswiththecyclical relationshipthatSpitzdescribes,whereseparationdoesnotweaken themother-daughterbond,butstrengthensit.
12 Dove, Mother Love, 77
13 Spitz, “Mothers and Daughters ”
A.E.StallingsandPersephone’sRevision
InA.E.Stallings’poetry,Persephoneisnotonlygivena voicetoretellherstory,butalsoapersonalityandaperspectiveto judgeherexperiences.Herobservationsareoftenhumorousand poignantassheobservestheworldaroundher,butitisonlywhen shebeginstoexpressopinions,ratherthansimplyreportevents, thatherconfidenceemerges.InStalling’scollection Archaic Smile, shepresentsPersephone'sperspectiveonherfirstdescenttothe Underworldinthepoem“PersephoneWritesaLettertoHer Mother”.
Thedeadarejustasdullasyouwouldimagine Theyevolveliketheburrowinganimal losingtheirsight. Theymayroamabroadsometimes butjustatnight Theycanonlytellmeiftherewasamoon. Againandagain,moth-like,theyareduped Byanybeckoningflame lampsandcandles. Theycomebackstartled&singed,suckingtheirfingers, Happythedirtiscoolanddenseandblind.
Theyaresilly&gratefulanddon’trememberanything. Ihavetriedtotellthemstories,buttheycannotattend. Theypesteryoulikechildrenforthewrongdetails Howlongwerehisfingernails?Didshewearshoes? Howmuchdidtheyeatforbreakfast?Whatissnow? Andthentheypaynoattentiontotheanswer.
Myhusband,boredwiththeirbabbling,neitherlistensnor speaks. Butherethereisnofodderforsmalltalk. Theweatherisalwaysthesame.Nothinghappens. (ThoughattimesIfeelthetrees,rockinginplace Likegrief,clenchingthedirtwithtortuoustoes.) Thereisnothingtoeatherebutrawbeets&turnips. Thereisnothingtodrinkbutmud-filteredrain.
Ofcourse,noonegoeshungryortoils,howevermany (Thedeadbreedlikethebulbsofdaffodils Withoutsexorseed allunderground
Yetnoracehassuchincrease.Worsethaninsects!)
Imissyouandthinkaboutyouoften. Pleasesendflowers.Iamforgettingthem. IfIyankthemdownbytheroots,theylosetheirpetals Andsmellofcompost.ThoughItrytodescribe Theircolorandfragrance,nooneherebelievesme. Theythinktheyarethesamethingasmushrooms.
WritingtoDemeter,Persephonerecountshersurroundingsina humorousandaffectionateway,saying,“Thedeadarejustasdull asyouwouldimagine,[...]Theyaresilly&gratefulanddon’t rememberanything./Ihavetriedtotellthemstoriesbutthey cannotattend.[...]Imissyouandthinkaboutyouoften./Please sendflowers.Iamforgettingthem.”14 Althoughshejokesabout thedullnessoftheUnderworld,herlonelinessisevidentinher needtobefriendthedeadandnarratethisexperiencetohermother. AsPersephonecontinues,however,herwordsincreaseinfear.
Yetnodogissoloyalasthedead, Whohavenowivesorchildrenandnolives, Nomotives,secretorbare,todisobey Plus,myhusbandisakind,kindmaster; Heasksnothingofus,nothing,nothingatall Thusfallchangestowinter,wintertofall, Whilewelearnidleness,adifficultlesson.
HedoesnotunderstandwhyIwriteletters. Hesaysthatyouwillnevergetthem.True
14 A E Stallings, Archaic Smile (University of Evansville Press, 1999), 6-7
Mulched-leafpaperstickstogether,thenrots; Noinkbutblood,anditturnsbrownliketheleaves. Hefoundmystashofletters,forIhadhidit, Thinkinghe’dbeangry.Butheneverangers.
Hetookmyhandsinhishands,myshreddedfingers WhichIhaveslicedforink,thinpapercuts. Myeffortisfutile,hesays,anddoesn’tforbidit.
Shewrites,“[Hades]foundmystashofletters,forIhadhidit,/ Thinkinghe’dbeangry.Butheneverangers.[...]Myeffortis futile,hesays,anddoesn’tforbidit.”15 Herlighttoneisshadowed byconstantanxiety—hidingherlettersfromHades,fearinghis reactions,andclingingontohermotherinafalsehope.Although sheiswritinginherownvoice,sheisstillconstrainedbyothers. Persephonecandescribehersuffering,butshecannotyet challengewhatconfinesher.
However,Persephone’svoiceshiftsinStallings’later poems,whereshebeginstouseherwittomake criticisms—reclaimingherstorybyreinterpretingit.In “PersephonetoPsyche”,sheadvisesanewlymarriedwoman, Psyche.
Comesitwithmehereatthebar.
AnotherLetheforthebride.
You’repregnant?Well,ofcourseyouare! MakethataVirginSuicide.
Meandmyman,wetriedaspell, Apharmacopoeiaofcharms, Andyet…WhenIamlonesome,well, Irockthestillbornsinmyarms.
Thisplaceisdead arealdive.
15 Stallings, Archaic Smile, 8
We’repastalltwists,rewardsandperils. Butwhatthehell.Weallarrive. Here,havesomepomegranatearils.
Iheardanoldwives’taleabove
WhenIwasagirlwithagirl’streasure. Thestorywent,SoulmarriedLove
Andtheyconceived,andcalledherPleasure.
InAnhedoniawetake
Ourbitterswithhypnoticwaters.
Thedawn’salwaysabouttobreak
Butneverdoes Wedreamofdaughters
Heradvicebegins,“Comesitwithmehereatthebar./ AnotherLetheforthebride./You’repregnant?Well,ofcourse youare!/MakethataVirginSuicide.”16 WhenPersephoneinvites Psycheover,shefirstrecommendsadrinkofLethebeforeher marriage.TheRiverLethe,knownastheriverofforgetfulness,is thedrinkofthedeadservingtoerasetheirmemoryforrebirthand removetheirpastburdensandsuffering.Byproposingacocktail ofmemorylossforPsyche,Persephonesuggeststhatmarriage requirestheerasureofone’sformerlife—abittereventthatplays outinherownstory.HerplayfulassumptionthatPsycheis pregnantimpliespregnancyistheveryreasonforhermarriageand withoutit,marriagewouldnothaveoccurred.Inthefinallineof thequote,Persephonechangestheordertoa“VirginSuicide”,a creativeplayonwords,hintingtowardalossofinnocenceand autonomyasayounggirlaswellasadoptingamaternalrolein Psyche’slifebycaringforherandherunbornchild.Lookingback onherownexperiences,shedescribesthetraumashewasexposed to,andthestarkcontrastbetweenherlifethenandnow.By
16 A E Stallings, Olives (TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press, 2012), 45
speakingtoPsyche,Persephone’scommentaryonherexperiences enactsRich’sideasof“re-vision":“theactoflookingback,of seeingwithfresheyes,ofenteringatextfromanewcritical direction.”17 Whenreinterpretingherstory,Persephoneisnolonger asilentvictim—sheisthefocusofhermyth,amaturedcritic,and evenamaternalfigureforotherwomen.Additionally,her independentvoicedoesnotbreakherbondwithDemeter,rather,it extendsherroleforward,continuingthecyclicalmother-daughter relationshipthatSpitzdescribes.
InStallings'poetry,sheblurstherolesofmothersand daughtersbyshowinghowPersephonegrowsintotheroleofher mother,asDemeter’sstorycontinuestoaffectPersephone’slife indefinitely.“PersephoneWritesaLettertoHerMother”beginsto showthischangebyincludingtheline“[Thedead]pesteryoulike children.”18 Hercomparisonofthedeadsoulstochildrenallows Persephone’simagetoappearmorematernal,ratherthanstayin hertraditionalmaidenhood.Continuingin“PersephoneTo Psyche”,PersephonelamentsonherlifeintheUnderworld, saying,“WhenIamlonesome,well/Irockthestillbornsinmy arms.”19 InthispoemPersephoneactivelytakesonamaternalrole, unliketheoriginalmythwheresheisdepictedastheeternal daughter.HerstorymirrorsDemeter’s,ironicallyrepeatingher mothersgriefbylovingchildrenshecannotsave.20 Inthelastline ofPersephone’sadvice,shetellsPsyche,“Thedawn’salways abouttobreak/Butneverdoes.Wedreamofdaughters.”21 Persephoneusesaplural“we”todescribethedream,implyinga collectivefemalevoice.Thebreakofdawnembodiesrenewal, suggestingawoman’syearningtocontinuethemselvesinsomeone
17 Rich, “When We Dead Awaken ”
18 Stallings, Archaic Smile, 7.
19 Stallings, Olives, 45.
20 Marianne Hirsch, “Mothers and Daughters,” Signs 7, no. 1 (1981): 200–222
21 Stallings, Olives, 45
else.ThepoetendsPersephone'sthoughtswithwishingfor daughters—afterallhergrief,Persephone’ssymbolicdaughter wouldcontinuethecycle,butwithnewhope.
TheCycleinContemporaryMotherhood
Thisenduringcycleextendstocontemporaryportrayalsof motherhoodaswell.Inmodernpoetry,thedefinitionofmothers anddaughtersbecomesmorereflectiveandcontinuous.Ada Limón,anotablecontemporarypoet,oftencentersherpoems aroundlove,loss,aging,andfamily.Inherpoem“TheRaincoat”, Limónwritesfromherownperspectiveasadaughter,who,now independent,looksbackonhermother’ssacrificeswithanew understanding.
Whenthedoctorsuggestedsurgery andabraceforallmyyoungestyears, myparentsscrambledtotakeme tomassagetherapy,deeptissuework, osteopathy,andsoonmycrookedspine unspooledabit,Icouldbreatheagain, andmovemoreinabodyunclouded bypain Mymomwouldtellmetosing songstoherthewholeforty-five-minute drivetoMiddleTwoRockRoadandfortyfiveminutesbackfromphysicaltherapy. She’dsaythatevenmyvoicesoundedunfettered bymyspineafterward.SoIsangandsang, becauseIthoughtshelikedit.Inever askedherwhatshegaveuptodriveme, orhowherdaywasbeforethischore.Today, atherage,Iwasdrivingmyselfhomefromyet anotherspineappointment,singingalong tosomemaudlinbutsolidsongontheradio, andIsawamomtakeherraincoatoff
andgiveittoheryoungdaughterwhen astormtookovertheafternoon.Mygod, Ithought,mywholelifeI’vebeenunderher raincoatthinkingitwassomehowamarvel thatInevergotwet.
Shereflects,“Mymomwouldtellmetosing[...]Mygod,/I thought,mywholelifeI’vebeenunderher/raincoatthinkingit wassomehowamarvel/thatInevergotwet.”22 Asachild,Limón experienceshermother’scarewithoutunderstandingit.Itisonly onceshebecomesanadultandseesanothermotherprotectingher childthatLimónrecognizeswhatshewasonceshelteredfrom. Thislinedepictsanindependentdaughterseeingwhatmotherhood trulymeans—thequietenduranceandsacrificesmadeforlove. Limón’srealizationmirrorsthesameideathatappearsinthestory ofPersephoneandDemeter,toldbyEllenHandlerSpitz.Amother anddaughter’sseparationdoesnotweakentheirbond,instead,it promptsthemtounderstandeachother’svalueintheirabsence, strengtheningtheirappreciationforeachother.
DemeterandPersephone’scyclicalbondandfearof separationisalsoevidentinothermodernpoetryonmotherhood. CarmenGimenez,anothercontemporarypoet,exploresthisinher poemtitled“TheDaughter”.
Wesaidshewasanegativeimageofmebecauseofherlightness. She'slightandalsopassage,thegloryinmycortex. Daughter,wheredidyougetallthatgoddess? HereyesareNeruda'stwodarkpoolsattwilight. Sometimesshe'sastrangerinmyhomebecauseIhadn'timagined her.
Whowillherdaughterbe?
SheandIarethegradualebbofmymother'sdarkness.
22 Ada Limón, The Carrying: Poems (Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 2020), 11
Iunfurltheribbonofherlife,andit'sasmoothlonghallway,doors flungopen.
Hersurfaceisadeflectioniswhy.
Harmonher,harmonusall.
Insideher,mygritandtimbre,myreckless.
Inthiswork,sheopensbyasking,“Daughter,wheredidyougetall thatgoddess?”23 Byusingtheword“goddess”,Gimenezconveys aweandprideinherchild.However,shedoesnotseeherselfin herdaughter.Herprideisshadowedwithuncertainty,asGimenez thenadmits,“Sometimesshe'sastrangerinmyhomebecauseI hadn'timaginedher.”24 Herdaughter’sunfamiliaritysuggeststhat herindividualityscaresGimenez,similartothewayDemeterfears Persephone’sseparationandindependencein Mother Love. This discomfortisnotduetoalackoflove,rather,itreflectsthe realizationthatadaughtermusteventuallybecomeanindependent individual.LikeRitaDove’sDemeter,Gimenezfearsthat independencemayharmtheirrelationship.Gimenezwonders aboutherdaughter’sfuture,writing,“Whowillherdaughterbe?/ SheandIarethegradualebbofmymother'sdarkness.”25 Her wordsreflectSpitz’mother-daughtercycle,remindingreadersthat mothersanddaughtersarebothcontinuationsofthewomenthat camebeforethem.Gimenezimaginesherdaughter’sdaughter— fittingfourgenerationsofwomenintothispoem,demonstrating thecyclethatcontinuesonevermore.Whenrecognizingbothher aweanduncertainty,Gimenezportraysmotherhoodandthe mother-daughterbondasacontinuousflowacrossgenerationsand throughtime.Bythepoem’send,whatfeltfrighteningatfirst becomesarealizationasGimenezunderstandsthatseparationdoes
23 Carmen Giménez, “The Daughter,” The Poetry Foundation, April 23, 2019, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56714/the-daughter.
24 Giménez, “The Daughter”
25 Giménez, “The Daughter”
noterasetheinnatesimilaritiesandbondbetweenherdaughterand herself.
Conclusion
Inherpaper Mothers and Daughter,MarianneHirsch writes,“Everywomanextendsbackwardsintohermotherand forwardsintoherdaughter”26.Accordingly,RitaDovededicates herpoetrycollection Mother Love:“FORmymother,TOmy daughter.”27 Despitebeingrootedinanancientmyth,Demeterand Persephone’sstoryresonateswidelywithwomenacrosscultures andgenerations,andcontinuestoadvisemothersanddaughters today—evidentinDove’sdedication,aswellasinthepoetryof AdaLimónandCarmenGimenz.Retellingsandreinterpretations ofthismyththatcenterthefemalerelationshipshelpacknowledge thefemalevoice,takingawaytheoriginalmyth’semphasison maleauthorityandcontrol.ByrestoringPersephone’svoice,poets suchasRitaDoveandA.E.StallingsenactAdrienneRich’s conceptoffeministre-vision,depictingmotherhoodand daughterhoodascontinuouslyandmutuallyevolvingroles,even throughseparation,ratherthanfixedidentities.Thiscyclical relationshipisalsoseenincontemporarypoetryonmotherhood, whereLimónandGimenezdescribethefluidityofbeingbotha motherandadaughter,aswellasunderstandingthevalueinboth roles.Ultimately,theretellingofPersephoneandDemeterthrough Rich’slensofre-visionrevealsthecyclicalnatureoffemale familialrelationshipsandthebondthatgrowsindefinitelybetween them.
26 Marianne Hirsch, “Mothers and Daughters,” Signs 7, no. 1 (1981): 200–222
27 Dove, Mother Love
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