Essay on Hymn to Demeter

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The Monomythic Cycle is the structure which stories follow. Heroes are very similar in the steps along their quests. On their quests, heroes always leave their home to embark on a journey to benefit themselves or something they care about. In doing so, they are transformed through their trials and are able to bring back what they have gathered for society's benefit. Homer's Hymn to Demeter is a prime example of the Monomythic Cycle. The hero is Demeter who, as a mother, is undertaking a journey of accepting that her daughter is growing up and in the search for her daughter she is able to re-find herself and bring back fertility and abundance to all of society. All heroes start at home, their place of comfort. Demeter's home is the plain of Nyssa, where Persephone and all the daughters of Oceanus frolic in the flowers. Demeter herself starts in Olympus but figuratively her home is with her daughter or, more specifically, when her daughter is dependent on her. The Call occurs when Hades kidnaps Persephone. With this Demeter is stripped of being with her daughter and she is called to transform from being a mother dependent on her child. With Demeter in distress, crops begin to wither. As the goddess of the harvest Demeter needs to remain on Olympus and tend to her job but her worry over her daughter keeps her from it. Her journey is significant and she becomes a hero when it becomes necessary in order for society to be restored to fertility. The Crossing of the First Threshold is the start of the journey when it is realized what must be done in order to succeed. It is the first challenge the hero has in his or her journey. After Hades takes Persephone, she must cross the Threshold in order to start her journey. Demeter's first step on her journey is when she questions Helios about her daughter's capture. In this way Helios acts as Demeter’s Supernatural Aid. The
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