Persephone2.0011

George O'Connor (2012), Persephone in Hades: Lord of the Dead (New York & London: First Second), mythological figure in a graphic novella.

Persephone returns willingly from Olympus in order to resume her blossoming affection for Hades, her one-time abductor who had shown he was capable of being tamed by a strong-willed partner. O'Connor's Persephone grows up in the moment she knowingly partakes of pomegranate seeds.

Classically, Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (of Zeus and Styx in another tradition). She is abducted by her father's consent by her uncle Hades. Although Zeus bids Hades return the girl to her mother, Persephone's consumption of a pomegranate seed disqualified her forever from abiding in the realm of the living. The great Homeric Hymn to Demeter is the most complete narrative. O'Connor follows it but develops a strongly antipathic relationship between mother and daughter to the point that the girl pursues and achieves separation from her mother on her own terms. For, the first time O'Connor's Persephone ingests the seeds (p. 62, frame 4; see inset right) is clearly after Hermes' recovery of the abductee and her reconciliation with Demeter (pp. 55-57). O'Connor's commentary (p. 73, note ad p. 57) clarifies that Hermes' resolution of the tension purposefully/wittily steers the daughter toward liberation from an overbearing mother.

Image at right is a montage of O'Connor, Hades page 70 with inset frames from page 62, frames 1-4.