Persephone+and+Demeter

= __PERSEPHONE AND DEMETER__ By Tara Ohanian, Chelsea Brennan, and Sarah Skawinski =

//**Summary:**//
Demeter, who was the minor goddess of the Harvest, was the mother of Persephone. Hades, the god of the Underworld, fell in love with Persephone one day. With the help of his brother Zeus, he set up a trap that brought Persephone to the Underworld against her will. Eventually after great resistance, Persephone fell in love with Hades and they became married. Meanwhile, Demeter was frantically looking for her daughter on Earth. Nature ceased to grow and blossom, because of her misery for her missing child. When Demeter found Persephone in the Underworld, she made a bargain with Hades--Persephone had to stay with her mother on Earth for two thirds of the year, but was required to spend the other few months with her husband after she ate the seeds of the pomegranate. So, every time Persephone was with her mother, the weather was warm and nature grew bountifully. But when Persephone was in the Underworld, Demeter would stop the nature's growth and keep the Earth barren. The few months when Persephone was with Hades became known as //winter//.



//**Type of Myth:**//
Explanation

//**Gives reason to:**//
Why the season change. The times Persephone is with Demeter on Earth are spring, summer, and autumn. The few months that Persephone is in the Underworld with Hades is winter.

//**Connection to Everyday Life:**//

 * There is an expensive Italian restaurant in New York City called //Persephone//.
 * A band called //Persephone's Bees//.
 * //Demeter Fragrance//: a selection of colognes, perfumes, and bath & body lotions
 * A poodle on Webkinz is named Persephone. :)