Prologue
The story of Persephone and Hades is an often misunderstood one. One day Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, were picking flowers. Demeter fell asleep and her daughter continued to pick the flowers. She was startled by the earth suddenly shaking and cracking open.
On his black chariot was Hades the god of the underworld. He took Persephone to his kingdom and married her. He had loved Persephone and to bind her to him, he offered her a pomegranate. She ate the fruit of the dead and was bound to remain in the underworld with her husband Hades.
Greatly distraught, Demeter did everything in her capability to find her beloved daughter. She refused to let anything grow while she was searching. Mortals were angry with Demeter for punishing them when they did nothing wrong. Afraid of an uproar, Zeus called Hermes and sent him for Hades and his bride.
When Persephone saw her mother there was great happiness. When Demeter asked Persephone to come home Persephone shook her head. She told her mother that she was happy with her new husband. Frustrated Demeter looked to Zeus. Zeus shrugged and turned to Hades. Hades smiled. "Persephone can not leave the underworld anyway. She has eaten the fruit of the dead and ingested six pomegranate seeds."
Unable to come to a decision where everyone was completely happy Zeus made one final attempt. He told Hades and Demeter that Persephone would spend six months in the underworld and six months with her mother each year. Everyone was satisfied and agreed.
Since Persephone is gone Demeter goes into depression and stops letting things grow while her daughter is away. When Persephone returns the world is in bloom once more. Thus, we have winter and spring.
Many think that is all that comes from this tale. However they fail to notice that another interpretation can be made. The tale of Persephone and Hades is one in which two people defy the odds and come together. They fall in love and are bound in someway to one another. Despite their love they are forced to separate and form different lives apart from one another. Their love will always be, but they can't spend forever together.