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Excerpt
Excerpt from Tanglewood Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
"Never," said she. "If the earth is ever again to see any verdure, it
must first grow along the path which my daughter will tread in coming
back to me."
Finally, as there seemed to be no other remedy, our old friend
Quicksilver was sent post-haste to King Pluto, in hopes that he might be
persuaded to undo the mischief he had done, and to set everything right
again, by giving up Proserpina. Quicksilver accordingly made the best
of his way to the great gate, took a flying leap right over the
three-headed mastiff, and stood at the door of the palace in an
inconceivably short time. The servants knew him both by his face and
garb; for his short cloak, and his winged cap and shoes, and his snaky
staff had often been seen thereabouts in times gone by. He requested to
be shown immediately into the king's presence; and Pluto, who heard his
voice from the top of the stairs, and who loved to recreate himself with
Quicksilver's merry talk, called out to him to come up. And while they
settle their business together, we must inquire what Proserpina had been
doing ever since we saw her last.
The child had declared, as you may remember, that she would not taste
a mouthful of food as long as she should be compelled to remain in King
Pluto's palace. How she contrived to maintain her resolution, and at the
same time to keep herself tolerably plump and rosy, is more than I can
explain; but some young ladies, I am given to understand, possess the
faculty of living on air, and Proserpina seems to have possessed it too.
At any rate, it was now six months since she left the outside of the
earth; and not a morsel, so far as the attendants were able to testify,
had yet passed between her teeth. This was the more creditable to
Proserpina, inasmuch as King Pluto had caused her to be tempted day by
day, with all manner of sweetmeats, and richly-preserved fruits, and
delicacies of every sort, such as young people are generally most fond
of. But her good mother had often told her of the hurtfulness of these
things; and for that reason alone, if there had been no other, she would
have resolutely refused to taste them.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Context of the Source
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Tanglewood Tales (1853) is a retelling of classical Greek myths for children, written in a more accessible and whimsical style than the original sources. The book is a companion to A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (1851), both of which reimagine myths like those of Persephone (Proserpina in Roman mythology) and Hades (Pluto), Theseus and the Minotaur, and Jason and the Golden Fleece.
This excerpt recounts part of the myth of Proserpina (Persephone) and Pluto (Hades), focusing on:
- Demeter’s (Ceres) grief—the earth’s barrenness as a result of her daughter’s abduction.
- Quicksilver’s (Hermes/Mercury) mission—to negotiate Proserpina’s return from the Underworld.
- Proserpina’s resistance—her refusal to eat, which becomes a key element in her eventual partial return to the surface.
Hawthorne’s version softens some of the darker aspects of the original myth (such as Pluto’s violent abduction of Persephone) while retaining its core themes of separation, endurance, and the cyclical nature of life and death.
Themes in the Excerpt
Maternal Love and Grief
- The opening line—"If the earth is ever again to see any verdure, it must first grow along the path which my daughter will tread in coming back to me."—embodies Demeter’s (Ceres) despair. Her grief is so profound that nature itself withers, reflecting the ancient Greek belief that the gods’ emotions directly influenced the natural world.
- The earth’s barrenness is a metaphor for maternal sorrow; only Proserpina’s return can restore life.
Persistence and Resistance
- Proserpina’s refusal to eat is an act of defiance against Pluto’s control. In the original myth, her consumption of pomegranate seeds binds her to the Underworld for part of the year. Hawthorne’s version emphasizes her moral strength—she resists temptation despite Pluto’s efforts to break her will.
- Her ability to stay "plump and rosy" without food is a whimsical touch, suggesting an almost supernatural resilience (or, as Hawthorne jokes, a trait some "young ladies" possess).
Divine Intervention and Negotiation
- Quicksilver (Hermes/Mercury), the messenger god, is sent to mediate between the divine and mortal realms. His swift, effortless entry into the Underworld (leaping over Cerberus, the three-headed dog) highlights his role as a bridge between worlds.
- The mention of his "winged cap and shoes, and his snaky staff" (the caduceus) reinforces his mythological identity while making the tale more vivid for young readers.
Temptation and Moral Integrity
- Pluto’s attempts to tempt Proserpina with "sweetmeats" and "richly-preserved fruits" parallel biblical and mythological tests of virtue (e.g., Eve in the Garden of Eden, Odysseus resisting the Sirens).
- Her refusal is framed as a lesson in self-control, influenced by her mother’s warnings—a nod to moral instruction, a common feature in children’s literature of the time.
The Cyclical Nature of Life
- The myth explains the seasons: Proserpina’s time in the Underworld corresponds to winter, her return to spring. Though not explicitly stated here, the excerpt sets up this cosmic balance—Demeter’s sorrow brings winter, and Proserpina’s return restores life.
Literary Devices
Personification
- The earth’s barrenness is personified as a direct result of Demeter’s grief, reinforcing the interconnectedness of gods and nature in mythology.
Hyperbole & Whimsy
- Quicksilver’s "flying leap right over the three-headed mastiff" and his arrival in an "inconceivably short time" add a playful, exaggerated tone, making the myth more engaging for children.
- The idea that Proserpina lives on "air" is a humorous exaggeration, softening the myth’s darker elements.
Foreshadowing
- The mention of Proserpina’s six-month absence hints at the compromise that will later be reached (in the full myth, she spends part of the year in the Underworld, part on earth).
Irony & Understatement
- Hawthorne’s wry observation—"some young ladies, I am given to understand, possess the faculty of living on air"—adds a lighthearted, almost modern commentary, breaking the fourth wall to engage the reader directly.
Symbolism
- Proserpina’s refusal to eat symbolizes her purity and resistance to Pluto’s domain, while the tempting foods represent the allure of the Underworld (or, metaphorically, the lure of sin or corruption).
- The "path which my daughter will tread" symbolizes hope and renewal, tying her return to the revival of nature.
Significance of the Passage
Mythological Retelling for Children
- Hawthorne adapts classical myths to be morally instructive yet entertaining, removing some of the original’s darker elements (e.g., Pluto’s abduction is not described violently here).
- The conversational tone ("some young ladies... possess the faculty of living on air") makes the story accessible and engaging for a young audience.
Exploration of Power Dynamics
- The excerpt highlights female agency—Proserpina’s resistance contrasts with her initial passive abduction in the original myth.
- Demeter’s power is shown through nature’s response to her grief, reinforcing the idea that divine feminine forces control life and death.
Cultural & Literary Influence
- The myth of Persephone and Demeter has been retold countless times, influencing poetry (e.g., Keats’ "Hymn to Demeter"), psychology (the "Persephone complex"), and feminist interpretations of myth.
- Hawthorne’s version contributes to the 19th-century tradition of sanitizing myths for children, similar to works by Charles Kingsley (The Heroes) or Thomas Bulfinch (Bulfinch’s Mythology).
Connection to Nature & Seasons
- The myth explains natural cycles, linking human (or divine) emotion to the changing seasons—a concept that resonates in Romantic and Transcendentalist literature, which often saw nature as a reflection of the soul.
Line-by-Line Breakdown of Key Moments
"If the earth is ever again to see any verdure, it must first grow along the path which my daughter will tread in coming back to me."
- Demeter’s ultimatum: The earth’s fertility is conditionally tied to Proserpina’s return, showing her absolute power over nature.
- The "path" is both literal (the route Proserpina walks) and symbolic (the journey from death/Underworld back to life).
"Quicksilver... took a flying leap right over the three-headed mastiff..."
- Hermes’ agility is emphasized, making him a dynamic, almost comical figure—a contrast to the solemnity of Pluto’s realm.
- The three-headed mastiff (Cerberus) is a guardian of the Underworld, and bypassing him suggests divine authority.
"The child had declared... that she would not taste a mouthful of food..."
- Proserpina’s fasting is an act of protest and purity, reinforcing her moral strength.
- The mention of her staying "plump and rosy" adds a fairy-tale quality, softening the myth’s severity.
"King Pluto had caused her to be tempted day by day, with all manner of sweetmeats..."
- The temptation motif aligns with moral lessons—resisting short-term pleasures for a greater good.
- The "hurtfulness of these things" (as warned by her mother) suggests parental guidance as a shield against corruption.
Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters
This excerpt from Tanglewood Tales is a masterful blend of myth, morality, and whimsy. Hawthorne takes a classical story of abduction and divine conflict and reshapes it into a tale of resilience, maternal love, and the triumph of purity over temptation. By focusing on Proserpina’s defiance and Demeter’s grief, he highlights female strength while keeping the narrative engaging for young readers.
The passage also serves as a bridge between ancient myth and 19th-century values, where self-control, filial piety, and the cyclical nature of life are central themes. Hawthorne’s playful yet profound retelling ensures that the myth remains relevant, not just as a cultural artifact, but as a story about endurance and renewal.
Would you like any further analysis on specific aspects, such as comparisons to the original Greek myth or Hawthorne’s writing style in other works?