Following those pomegranate seeds

[dolorosa_12]

Day Twenty-Six: Favourite classical female character (from pre-20th century literature or mythology or the like)

Persephone (Greek mythology)

Look, I'm unapologetic about this. I love any and every iteration of this character (well, maybe not Twilight). There's something so powerful about a mother-daughter relationship that's used to explain the changing of the seasons. There's something powerful about the story of a woman who passes into an underworld, and is transformed and changed. I find it hard to articulate why I love this story so much, and I fear being misinterpreted when I say I identify with Persephone, but it's true. I've always been obsessed with crossing-places, turning points, identifiable moments of profound change, and with visible markers of transformation. As long as I can remember I've looked backwards to identify those tiny moments in my life which had reverberations for years afterwards, which unintentionally shaped and changed me. That's what Persephone means to me.

This post by catvalente says it so much better than I ever could.

I can't leave this question without also mentioning biblical figures such as Esther, Leah and Ruth, and Briseis from the Iliad, whose stories have very personal resonances for me for various reasons.


Day Twenty-Seven: A female character you have extensive personal canon for
Day Twenty-Eight: Favourite female writer (television, books, movies, etc.)
Day Twenty-Nine: A female-centric fic rec
Day Thirty: Whatever you’d like!

Some other cool links today: a friend of mine, Ellie Barraclough (who was a PhD student with me at Cambridge and now has a permanent post at Durham), did a radio programme on 'The Supernatural North", featuring Philip Pullman and A. S. Byatt. In more Pullman news, he's releasing a new short story set in the His Dark Materials world. And I'm going to be raiding this list at ladybusiness for book recommendations for next year.

Comments

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

As long as I can remember I've looked backwards to identify those tiny moments in my life which had reverberations for years afterwards, which unintentionally shaped and changed me. That's what Persephone means to me.

I love this. :)

Was Antigone mythology, or just a play with no basis in mythology? If she was part of mythology, she's one of my favorites. The struggle between social norms and following her heart, her beliefs and honoring her brother...

[dolorosa-12.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it's not kind of self-absorbed to behave like this, but it helps me make sense of my life, the choices I've made, and how I've ended up where I am.

I'm not sure whether you'd call Antigone a mythological figure — certainly a figure out of legendary history — but given that the question calls for your favourite premodern female character, Antigone is definitely a valid answer. I love how Greek plays give voice to female characters, their fears and their anger, even if that anger is sometimes set in a wider misogynistic context.

[miss-foxy.livejournal.com]

"I've always been obsessed with crossing-places, turning points, identifiable moments of profound change, and with visible markers of transformation. As long as I can remember I've looked backwards to identify those tiny moments in my life which had reverberations for years afterwards, which unintentionally shaped and changed me."

This is beautiful. Thank you :)

[dolorosa-12.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you appreciate the sentiment. I worry it's too self-absorbed, but I've always felt it was a good idea to take stock, to work out how you got to where you are, and why. It's helpful when you're faced with significant choices.