Demeter's Prayer to Hades Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Why do you think Demeter wishes for Hades to have knowledge, instead of wishing him out of power? What parts of the poem give you your ideas?
  2. What piece(s) of "knowledge" does Demeter want Hades to have?
  3. How do enjambment and end stops affect the way the poem is read?
  4. Why does Demeter offer Hades a mirror instead of a curse? In this gesture, what is Dove saying about our human tendencies, too?
  5. In the end, who has power over the lives of the mortals? What comes with that power?