A Woman's Withdrawal: a Gendered Analysis of Demeter's Withdrawal in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter

Abstract

This essay states through the application of the theory of focalization that a holistic reading of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter is required to fully understand the scope of Demeter’s plight, and both her status as a woman and as a deity cannot be ignored in favour of the other.The friction that can be found in the hymn will be illustrated by the following analyses: an exploration of the theory on epic story patterns and how story patterns make up a significant part of the composition of the hymn; additionally, an analysis of other Homeric texts, middle-eastern myths and other adaptations of the rape of Persephone, and how more can be said about the specific literary choices made in the composition of the Homeric hymn through these comparisons. This will be accompanied by an analysis of the text that underlines the cultural values, gender relations and character motives through focalization in the text; the last one is paired with an exploration of authority and τιμή, and how these themes influence the plot and the actions of the characters.