LINZ, Austria, February 20, 2026 — The ancient Greek myth of Persephone, kidnapped and forced into marriage in the underworld, is surprisingly relevant to modern understanding of anorexia nervosa, a potentially life-threatening eating disorder. Since the 1980s, at least 25 authors have explored this connection in their work, from Nobel laureate Louise Glück to young adult novelist Laurie Halse Anderson.
A Myth for Modern Illnesses
The story of Persephone offers a powerful, if complex, lens through which to view the struggles of those battling anorexia.
- Anorexia is increasingly recognized as a serious mental illness, influenced by family dynamics, societal pressures, and identity crises.
- The myth of Persephone, involving themes of control, appetite, and forced transitions, resonates with the experiences of individuals with anorexia.
- The myth can be interpreted both as a source of empowerment and a dangerous justification for restrictive eating behaviors.
- Rates of eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia, have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting teenagers, children, and adults.
What is the connection between the myth of Persephone and anorexia nervosa? The story, recounted in ancient texts like the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (6th century BC), Ovid’s poems (1st century BC), and Claudian’s epic (4th century AD), explores themes of adolescence, mother-daughter relationships, appetite, and control—all central to the experience of anorexia.
Whether we like it or not, eating disorders haven’t vanished. Professional circles now largely agree that anorexia is a life-threatening illness stemming from complex factors beyond superficial concerns like imitating models. These factors include family environment, expectations—particularly for girls—sexism, identity crises, and the challenges of navigating a difficult present.
A Shifting Understanding
We don’t know if eating disorders, as we define them today, existed in antiquity. However, Persephone’s story has become increasingly linked to anorexia in specialist literature from psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis, offering a framework for understanding the illness and reducing the stigma surrounding family discussions about mental health.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable increase in the prevalence of anorexia, bulimia, and other mental health conditions, impacting individuals across all age groups and genders.
Many authors with personal experience of anorexia view the Persephone myth as a precursor to their own narratives. From Nobel Prize winner Louise Glück to young adult author Laurie Halse Anderson, the myth appears frequently in feminist autofiction, Insta-poetry, and even Swedish sonnets. Since the 1980s, at least 25 authors have engaged with the material, portraying Persephone both as a model for recovery and as a figure who validates the power of refusing food—a potentially dangerous interpretation.
Food as Control
The application of a retrodiagnosis to an ancient goddess might seem unusual, but the myth lends itself to an anorexic perspective. The ancient versions—the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the works of Callimachus (3rd century BC), Ovid’s poems, and Claudian’s epic—address themes of adolescence, mother-daughter dynamics, appetite, symbolically charged eating, forbidden fruit, famine, and control over bodies. Anorexia similarly revolves around questions of power, with food used as a tool in family and global conflicts, or refused as a form of protest.
The meaning of literature evolves over time. When works by Callimachus or Ovid are now connected to body image issues, eating problems, and mental illness, it’s crucial to examine this dynamic of reception, drawing on insights from philology, psychiatry, medical humanities, and gender studies.
Sophie Emilia Seidler will give a lecture on this topic on January 12, 2026, at 6:15 p.m. at the International Research Center for Cultural Studies at the Linz University of Art and Design in Vienna (ifk).
