Homeric Hymn To Demeter

In this assignment, I will be considering the character of the goddess Demeter as she appears in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Demeter is motherly and nurturing, reasonable and respectful, and she can also be incredibly vengeful when angered. Firstly, The goddess of Demeter embodies the role of a mother, not only to her daughter Persephone, but to everyone. She is responsible for the growing of grain and provides food for mortals, providing nourishment for them as a mother would to her baby. Demeter is eventually given the responsibility of taking care of a mortal child: “But Demeter / used to anoint him with ambrosia, as if he had been born of the goddess, / and she would breathe down her sweet breath on him as she held him to her bosom.” (236-8). She takes on this responsibility and treats the child as if

Gods and humans are supposed to be completely separated from each other, but Demeter scoops down to the mortal level at the dinner table: “So she [Metaneira] made the kukeōn and offered it to the goddess, just as she had ordered. / The Lady known far and wide as Dēō accepted it, for the sake of the hosia.” (210-11). She accepts a drink that is for humans. She also laughs and converses with the mortals as if she were one herself. It is clear that she is a goddess who respects all, including mortal. Along the lines of being respectful, she keeps her word as well. She later promises to give back the harvest for humans after she sees her daughter: “The bright grain of wheat had stayed hidden underneath, / through the mental power of Demeter, the one with the beautiful ankles. But, from this point on, / it began straightaway to flourish with long ears of grain…” (452-4). She keeps her word even though she does not entirely get her daughter back, but she is willing to compromise. This shows that she is reasonable and is respectful enough to keep her word when she swears