Lazyweb: Women Abducted to the Otherworld?

[qos]

I'm making a list of female figures in myth and lore who are abducted to the underworld or faery, and/or are abducted as symbols of sovereignty. Can anyone help me add names?


Ereshkigal
Persephone
Guinevere
Creiddylad

Comments

[nicanthiel.livejournal.com]

There's possibly the theft of Iðunna and her apples by the giants.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I know the reference but have never looked closely at the story.

[oakmouse]

Scottish and Irish faery lore overrun with them; if that type of abduction story is of use to you, I recommend Evans-Wentz as a resource.

Unfortunately the only examples I can think of offhand are the reverse of what you want: faery women brought to live, willingly or unwillingly, in the human world. :-p Lots of those, there are.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pointer!

[upasaka.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of Odin's "conquests" fall into the later category. Rind, the Jotun who is seduced by Odin in order to produce a hero who will avenge Baldr's death, comes to mind, although perhaps she was not exactly abducted. And Freyr's wife Gerðr, while "wooed" rather than abducted, is definitely connected with Jotun sovereignty and the appropriation of it by the Aesir and Vanir.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

You might consider Gráinne (of "The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne"), to an extent...Though she's not really an unwilling victim, but she is the daughter of the king of Tara, etc. It's not an umproblematic example...

[rin-x-x.livejournal.com]

I want to say Ariadne, but maybe not. The closest connection would be Dionysos taking her as his bride and making her Queen of the Bacchantes, her death and then apotheosis(sp?) as a Goddess.

So.. maybe not close enough?

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure she would count as an abduction, but her story is certainly one I'd want to look into for other purposes. Thanks!

Helen?

[purplevenus.livejournal.com]

of Troy? I don't know exactly where I'd put her, but she popped up in my head.

Not quite a myth, but Alice from Wonderland
Also not quite a myth, but Coraline
Kate from "The Taming of the Shrew"

these are actually characters, waving their hands in my head, asking to be considered, not just me racking my brain, so take that how you like.

Re: Helen?

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Interesting list. . . but I don't think they're part of the same archetypal stream that I'm focused on.

I don't see any of them as either being associated with sovereignty or gaining actual power through their underworld experiences. (Although I must confess I have yet to read or watch Coraline.)

I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on them. . .

Mandaean Myth

[purplevenus.livejournal.com]

Hibil-Ziva's Descent into Hell
He returns with a wife...