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Unsure how to portray the MC's relationship?

ascanius

Inkling
So I've based the relationship between two of my MC's off of Greek mythology, the rape of Persephone where Hades abducts her and all that with my own variations of course. I thought it would be interesting to have the relationship find true love and not be some horrible experience the way we often see portrayals of the Persephone and Hadies. I've figured out a few things like not having rape but that’s mostly it. She is young in her early teens, about 14 he is about 25. I've been going back and forth writing and rewriting the outline, chapters etc unable to figure out how to portray the relationship. The big problem I'm having is how to make her active. He kidnaps her, at her fathers consent but she doesn't know, he convinces her father that he likes her. Her father is in need of help and agrees in part because gives him an ally but also because she would be better protected. The MC, he is doing this because he believes she has knowledge that he needs to kill an angel. She has her own arch but in the relationship I get the impression she is mostly just a victim. I'm having a very hard time figuring out how I can have her as an active participant in the relationship and without it becoming Stockholm syndrome or become weird.

The only thing I can think of is an idea I got from my grandmother. She told me that she knew my grandfather was the man she wanted to marry when she first met him as a little girl, and now I exist so.. I figure I could have her meet him beforehand and have something similar happen where she has a crush or something and then later as they spend more time together that becomes something more. Yet I am unsure if it is a cop out like I'm saying 'no look it's not what you think she already like him so now it's all ok." I kinda think going that route is worse, yet I do like the idea of her knowing from the start that she already knows she is going to marry him. I like it because for her there is no question she knows exactly what she is going to do, which is very much in character for her.

Any thoughts?
 
If you really want to go revisionist, you could have Persephone's father as her true captor. Then she goes with Hades voluntarily to free herself from him. (Maybe she's even the one who reaches out to Hades in the first place, seeking his cooperation in her escape plan!)

As for love at first sight . . . I gotta say, that sounds like the sort of thing people hated on Twilight for. Expect a certain amount of flames if you go that route. (Then again, I'm not sure you particularly care whether some people rage at your writing.)
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
Playing off of what Feo said, maybe Persephone is in a bad place with her father. He maybe evil, keeping her captive what ever. Now maybe have Hades visit her father for what ever reason, and then have her stowaway in his carriage/ his luggage/his magical transport tunnel and end up in the underworld.

After Persephone's father discovers what has happened he starts telling everyone that Hades kidnapped her. Now this puts Hades in a pickle. Does he return her? Also it makes Persephone an active character, not a victim or pawn.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
Seems to me that the way you portray her is the way you portray anyone who finds a meaningful relationship:

1. Establish in an early scene some trait that she values and how her lousy boyfriend or whoever doesn't have that trait.
2. Show the protagonist as possessing that trait.
3. Show the protagonist working to win her affection.

Right?
 

Trick

Auror
I'm having a very hard time figuring out how I can have her as an active participant in the relationship and without it becoming Stockholm syndrome or become weird.

Beauty and the Beast pulled it off... though, there is this:

ade0d68edc4dc3fceee15236c3c1d180.jpg
 
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ascanius

Inkling
If you really want to go revisionist, you could have Persephone's father as her true captor. Then she goes with Hades voluntarily to free herself from him. (Maybe she's even the one who reaches out to Hades in the first place, seeking his cooperation in her escape plan!)

As for love at first sight . . . I gotta say, that sounds like the sort of thing people hated on Twilight for. Expect a certain amount of flames if you go that route. (Then again, I'm not sure you particularly care whether some people rage at your writing.)

Thank you everyone for replying.

Do you mean the movie where she had an eye orgasm? Yeah, um love at first sight is a no go, not going to do that anymore. It's an interesting twist having her father as her captor I like the idea I'm not sure it will work, well maybe. She spent the majority of her childhood as a captive and her father did conquer almost everyone trying to get her back, I could twist it as he is afraid of loosing her again. He becomes super over protective now that he does have her back. It's a nice idea that I'm going to have to think about, I don't know how it will work if he is not oppressive, maybe controlling a little. Or does that go too much into controlling father figure and teenage rebellion? I'm going to think about it and see if it's doable.

Anyway I forgot to bring this up last time but, in the book king of thrones I think... or emperor of thrones has something similar. I liked how it was done. She was decisive and knew what she wanted, she loves him but it was definitely not twighlight.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
I think there's a lot of ways you can portray the father without making him a evil. I like the idea of overprotective.

You can also play with the idea of following the heart vs duty. Maybe the father has plans for her. She's to marry so and so but she wants something else(not necessarily another person), so she runs away. You could also play with the idea of misunderstanding between the two that makes her want to run.
 

Gurkhal

Auror
It all kind of depends on how far from the source material you want to go. But if you want it to not be weird or considered creepy I think that you will need to avoid any direct, hints or open interpretations for rape or kidnapping.

Therefor I think that it would be best, depending on how white&black or grey you want it, if perhaps Hades either offers Persephone sanctuary, that she seeks sanctuary or that they run away together. If you really want to make sure that Persephone isn't just a victim you could always cut Hades back to a supporting role and let her be the one who takes actions and makes decisions that forms the story?
 
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