“The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

“The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland, first appeared in 1990 in her collection The Pomegranate, reflects Boland’s exploration of myth, motherhood, and the complex relationship between the personal and the legendary. The main ideas of the poem revolve around the myth of Ceres and Persephone, focusing on the universal themes of loss, love, and the inescapable passage of time. Boland uses the myth to reflect on her own role as a mother, balancing the desire to protect her daughter with the inevitability of her experiencing her own version of loss and grief. The poem has gained popularity as a textbook poem for its rich emotional depth and the way it combines personal reflection with classical mythology. As Boland writes, “The legend will be hers as well as mine,” she conveys the continuity of human experience, where each generation must face its own trials and learn its own truths. The poem’s enduring appeal lies in its poignant depiction of both universal and intimate moments, making it a powerful piece for discussions on identity, myth, and motherhood in literary studies.

Text: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

The only legend I have ever loved is
the story of a daughter lost in hell.
And found and rescued there.
Love and blackmail are the gist of it.
Ceres and Persephone the names.
And the best thing about the legend is
I can enter it anywhere. And have.
As a child in exile in
a city of fogs and strange consonants,
I read it first and at first I was
an exiled child in the crackling dusk of
the underworld, the stars blighted. Later
I walked out in a summer twilight
searching for my daughter at bed-time.
When she came running I was ready
to make any bargain to keep her.
I carried her back past whitebeams
and wasps and honey-scented buddleias.
But I was Ceres then and I knew
winter was in store for every leaf
on every tree on that road.
Was inescapable for each one we passed. And for me.
                    It is winter
and the stars are hidden.
I climb the stairs and stand where I can see
my child asleep beside her teen magazines,
her can of Coke, her plate of uncut fruit.
The pomegranate! How did I forget it?
She could have come home and been safe
and ended the story and all
our heart-broken searching but she reached
out a hand and plucked a pomegranate.
She put out her hand and pulled down
the French sound for apple and
the noise of stone and the proof
that even in the place of death,
at the heart of legend, in the midst
of rocks full of unshed tears
ready to be diamonds by the time
the story was told, a child can be
hungry. I could warn her. There is still a chance.
The rain is cold. The road is flint-coloured.
The suburb has cars and cable television.
The veiled stars are above ground.
It is another world. But what else
can a mother give her daughter but such
beautiful rifts in time?
If I defer the grief I will diminish the gift.
The legend will be hers as well as mine.
She will enter it. As I have.
She will wake up. She will hold
the papery flushed skin in her hand.
And to her lips. I will say nothing.

Annotations: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

Line	Annotation
The only legend I have ever loved is	The speaker expresses a deep personal connection to a specific myth that resonates with her emotions and experiences, suggesting the legend’s significance in her life.
the story of a daughter lost in hell.	The legend referenced here is that of Ceres and Persephone from Greek mythology, where Persephone is taken to the underworld (hell), lost to her mother, Ceres.
And found and rescued there.	Persephone is ultimately rescued, and this part of the myth represents a return from darkness or despair, offering hope.
Love and blackmail are the gist of it.	The myth is driven by themes of love (Ceres’ love for Persephone) and blackmail (Persephone’s forced stay in the underworld, which results in her eating the pomegranate).
Ceres and Persephone the names.	The mother (Ceres) and daughter (Persephone) are named, anchoring the myth and establishing the familial relationship at the heart of the legend.
And the best thing about the legend is	The speaker appreciates the flexibility of the myth; it allows for personal interpretation and entry at any point, giving it a timeless, universal appeal.
I can enter it anywhere. And have.	The speaker reflects on how she can relate to the myth at different points in her life, depending on her emotional state or situation.
As a child in exile in	The speaker recalls her childhood as one of exile, possibly feeling displaced or alienated, an emotional exile rather than a physical one.
a city of fogs and strange consonants,	This imagery evokes a sense of confusion or disorientation, possibly representing the challenges of growing up in an unfamiliar or foreign environment.
I read it first and at first I was	The speaker recalls her first encounter with the myth, identifying herself with the character of Persephone in the beginning.
an exiled child in the crackling dusk of	She imagines herself as an “exiled child,” feeling separated from her home or roots. “Crackling dusk” suggests a dark and uncertain world.
the underworld, the stars blighted.	The underworld represents despair or loss, and “blighted” suggests that the stars (symbols of hope) are obscured or damaged.
Later I walked out in a summer twilight	Later in life, the speaker emerges from a more desolate past, recalling a more hopeful, reflective period—twilight suggests a moment of transition.
searching for my daughter at bed-time.	The speaker now has a daughter and is searching for her, perhaps reflecting her role as a mother and her need to protect her child.
When she came running I was ready	The speaker is relieved when her daughter returns, highlighting the protective instincts that come with motherhood.
to make any bargain to keep her.	The speaker expresses a willingness to sacrifice anything to ensure her daughter’s safety, echoing the mother’s desperation in the myth.
I carried her back past whitebeams	The mother/daughter journey is framed in positive terms here with nature imagery, symbolizing innocence and safety (whitebeams, sweet and pure).
and wasps and honey-scented buddleias.	The contrast between the sweet scent of flowers (buddleias) and the danger of wasps alludes to the mixed blessings of life—beauty and danger coexist.
But I was Ceres then and I knew	The speaker identifies with Ceres, the mother in the myth, and reflects on the inevitability of loss or suffering in life.
winter was in store for every leaf	Winter here symbolizes the inevitable passage of time, decay, and hardship; everything is bound to face the harshness of winter (loss, change).
on every tree on that road.	This imagery reinforces the idea that no one or nothing is exempt from the trials of life; everything will eventually face hardship.
Was inescapable for each one we passed. And for me.	The inevitability of winter, or suffering, affects everyone, including the speaker, signifying a universal experience of grief or loss.
It is winter	The present moment is described as winter, a time of hardship or sorrow, continuing the metaphor of inevitable change and difficulty.
and the stars are hidden.	The obscured stars reflect the loss of hope or guidance, a dark period where the way forward is unclear.
I climb the stairs and stand where I can see	The speaker transitions to a present moment, standing and reflecting on her daughter, perhaps contemplating her safety and well-being.
my child asleep beside her teen magazines,	The imagery of the daughter’s peaceful sleep contrasts with the earlier mythological danger, representing innocence or a normal, everyday moment.
her can of Coke, her plate of uncut fruit.	The ordinary objects—a can of Coke, uncut fruit—symbolize normalcy and youthful innocence, suggesting a mundane, protected world.
The pomegranate! How did I forget it?	The speaker realizes that the pomegranate, a symbol of the myth’s fatal choice (eating the fruit of the underworld), is now a part of her daughter’s life.
She could have come home and been safe	The speaker laments the loss of safety, reflecting the myth’s warning—Persephone’s innocent choice to eat the pomegranate leads to her fate.
and ended the story and all	The daughter’s action could have resolved the myth, but by choosing the pomegranate, she continues the story, reflecting life’s cycle of choices and consequences.
our heart-broken searching but she reached	The speaker acknowledges that despite all efforts to protect her, her daughter makes her own decisions, continuing the journey of myth.
out a hand and plucked a pomegranate.	The pomegranate represents the dangerous, irreversible choice, similar to Persephone’s, illustrating the dangers of temptation or curiosity.
She put out her hand and pulled down	The daughter’s innocent action marks the beginning of her own journey, paralleling the myth and the speaker’s own maternal experience.
the French sound for apple and	“The French sound for apple” refers to the language of the fruit, further symbolizing the myth’s connection to fate and choice, especially in a global or cultural context.
the noise of stone and the proof	The “noise of stone” evokes the hardness and permanence of the choice—the pomegranate’s seeds (stone) represent a concrete decision with lasting effects.
that even in the place of death,	The myth takes place in the underworld, a place of death, yet life (hunger, desire) still persists, suggesting the inescapable nature of human experience.
at the heart of legend, in the midst	The center of the myth reflects not only tragedy but the power and significance of the story, offering lessons across generations.
of rocks full of unshed tears	This metaphor represents the unspoken grief and loss within the legend, suggesting that pain is often hidden or repressed until it can be expressed.
ready to be diamonds by the time	The “unshed tears” can become “diamonds,” implying that suffering can transform into wisdom, strength, or beauty over time.
the story was told, a child can be	Despite tragedy, the story endures, showing that life’s struggles are part of a larger narrative that a child must eventually face.
hungry. I could warn her. There is still a chance.	The speaker wishes to protect her daughter from the dangers of life, warning her to avoid the same mistakes, though aware that fate may unfold differently.
The rain is cold. The road is flint-coloured.	The imagery of cold rain and a flint-colored road suggests a harsh, challenging environment, one that the daughter will eventually navigate on her own.
The suburb has cars and cable television.	The modern suburban setting contrasts with the mythological world, showing that even in a comfortable, seemingly safe environment, dangers persist.
The veiled stars are above ground.	The “veiled stars” imply that hope or guidance is obscured, and the characters must find their own way, just as Persephone must find her way in the underworld.
It is another world. But what else	The poem transitions back to the modern world, but the speaker reflects that this world, though different, still shares the mythological essence of choices and consequences.
can a mother give her daughter but such	The speaker acknowledges that the only thing she can offer her daughter is the knowledge of life’s complexities and the inevitability of hardship.
beautiful rifts in time?	“Rifts in time” refers to moments of change, transitions between innocence and experience, and how these moments shape a person’s life.
If I defer the grief I will diminish the gift.	The speaker understands that by postponing grief, she may reduce the lesson or the opportunity for growth—grief must be faced in order to move forward.
The legend will be hers as well as mine.	The speaker accepts that the myth, and its lessons, will pass down to her daughter, as every generation must experience its own challenges.
She will enter it. As I have.	The daughter will eventually face her own trials, just as the speaker has faced hers, continuing the cycle of life’s inevitable challenges.
She will wake up. She will hold	The daughter will awaken to the realities of life, facing the world with the wisdom and understanding that come with experience.
the papery flushed skin in her hand.	The “papery flushed skin” symbolizes the fragility of life and the passage of time, a stark reminder of mortality.
And to her lips. I will say nothing.	The poem ends with the speaker’s silence, symbolizing the acceptance of fate, the mother’s inability to protect her child from the lessons of life.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

Literary Device	Example	Explanation
Allusion	“Ceres and Persephone the names.”	The poem alludes to Greek mythology, specifically the story of Ceres (Demeter) and Persephone, drawing connections between the myth and the speaker’s own experience.
Anaphora	“She will enter it. As I have.”	The repetition of “she will” emphasizes the inevitable passage of knowledge and experience from one generation to the next.
Antithesis	“It is winter / and the stars are hidden.”	The contrasting images of winter (a cold, dark season) and hidden stars (symbolizing the absence of guidance or hope) highlight the tension between hardship and the longing for hope.
Apostrophe	“The pomegranate! How did I forget it?”	The speaker directly addresses the pomegranate as if it were a person, emphasizing its symbolic importance in the myth and her personal reflection.
Assonance	“honey-scented buddleias.”	The repetition of the “e” sound in “scented” and “buddleias” creates a soft, melodic quality that evokes the pleasantness of the scene.
Chiasmus	“I could warn her. There is still a chance.”	The structure of this sentence mirrors itself in the reversal of the order of the verbs (“warn” and “chance”), emphasizing the contrast between the potential to prevent harm and the inevitability of fate.
Consonance	“the rain is cold. The road is flint-coloured.”	The repetition of the “l” sound in “cold” and “flint-coloured” creates a harmonious effect, emphasizing the bleakness of the setting.
Enjambment	“And the best thing about the legend is / I can enter it anywhere. And have.”	The line spills over into the next without a pause, mirroring the continuous and fluid nature of the myth and its ability to be interpreted at any point in time.
Imagery	“whitebeams and wasps and honey-scented buddleias.”	The vivid sensory details evoke a lush, fragrant environment that contrasts with the darker themes of the poem, creating a sense of nostalgia and safety.
Irony	“The pomegranate! How did I forget it?”	There is irony in the speaker’s exclamation, as she realizes she has forgotten the critical symbol in the myth, despite its significance to both her and her daughter.
Metaphor	“winter was in store for every leaf.”	Winter represents hardship, loss, and the inevitable passage of time. The “leaf” symbolizes innocence, highlighting the impending changes that will affect all things.
Personification	“the stars are hidden.”	The stars are personified, as if they are capable of hiding, symbolizing a lack of hope or direction for the speaker during a difficult time.
Rhetorical Question	“How did I forget it?”	The speaker asks a rhetorical question to express her surprise and regret at forgetting the pomegranate, which is central to the myth and the poem’s themes.
Symbolism	“The pomegranate”	The pomegranate is a symbol of temptation, fate, and the inevitability of suffering, linking the myth of Persephone with the speaker’s own experience as a mother.
Synecdoche	“the road is flint-coloured.”	The “road” represents the larger journey of life, and the color “flint” symbolizes the hard, unyielding challenges one faces in that journey.
Tension	“But I was Ceres then and I knew / winter was in store for every leaf”	The tension arises from the conflict between the desire to protect her daughter and the awareness that hardship is unavoidable.
Tone	“I could warn her. There is still a chance.”	The tone is both cautionary and maternal, reflecting the speaker’s concern and the desire to shield her daughter from inevitable harm.
Understatement	“The suburb has cars and cable television.”	The mundane description of the suburb contrasts with the mythological themes, suggesting that the modern world is not immune to the same struggles faced in the myth.
Volta	“If I defer the grief I will diminish the gift.”	The shift in tone from reflection to realization occurs here, where the speaker contemplates how delaying grief may prevent the full meaning of the myth and its lessons from being passed on.

Themes: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

• Motherhood and Protection: Motherhood is a central theme in “The Pomegranate,” where the speaker reflects on her role as a mother and her overwhelming desire to protect her daughter from harm. The speaker’s protective instincts are most evident when she describes being “ready to make any bargain to keep her” after her daughter runs toward her. This mirrors the story of Ceres and Persephone, where Ceres’ desperate efforts to protect her daughter from the underworld reflect the speaker’s own desire to shield her child from life’s challenges. However, Boland contrasts the innocence of childhood, symbolized by the daughter peacefully sleeping “beside her teen magazines,” with the harsh truth that mothers cannot protect their children from everything. The speaker knows that, just as Persephone’s fate is sealed by the pomegranate, her daughter too will face inevitable hardship. The pomegranate itself becomes a symbol of the dangerous choices that every child must make, despite the mother’s best efforts to protect them.
• Myth and Transformation: “Myth and Transformation” plays a significant role in “The Pomegranate,” where Boland uses the myth of Ceres and Persephone to explore how myths shape personal identity and understanding. The speaker’s connection to the myth is evident in the way she reflects on it as part of her own experience, saying, “The legend will be hers as well as mine.” This emphasizes the transmission of wisdom, pain, and transformation across generations. The myth is not just a tale of the past but a living story that has shaped the speaker’s identity as a mother and will continue to shape her daughter’s. The pomegranate is a powerful symbol in this transformation, marking a point of no return, much like Persephone’s choice. By referencing the myth, Boland highlights how such stories transcend time, influencing and guiding people in different contexts. The myth becomes a shared experience, where the speaker wishes to pass on its lessons to her daughter, ensuring that the transformation it represents continues through the generations.
• The Inevitability of Loss and Change: “The Inevitability of Loss and Change” is a major theme in “The Pomegranate,” where the speaker reflects on the unavoidable nature of loss and the passage of time. Boland’s use of winter as a symbol for this theme is especially striking. The line “winter was in store for every leaf” indicates the inevitable arrival of hardship, decay, and change. While the poem begins with images of warmth and innocence—like “whitebeams” and “honey-scented buddleias”—there is an underlying knowledge that everything is subject to the passage of time and the arrival of winter. The speaker is painfully aware that no matter how much she wishes to protect her daughter, hardship is unavoidable. The inevitability of change is underscored by the pomegranate, which, much like Persephone’s fateful choice, symbolizes a moment of irreversible transformation. The poem ends with the speaker’s acceptance that grieving for the inevitable will only diminish the gift of life and wisdom, reinforcing the idea that loss and change are essential parts of the human experience.
• Generational Continuity: Generational continuity is a recurring theme in “The Pomegranate,” where the speaker reflects on the passage of wisdom, grief, and myth across generations. The speaker contemplates how her daughter, just like Persephone, will eventually face her own moments of loss and growth. Boland writes, “The legend will be hers as well as mine,” suggesting that the myth of Ceres and Persephone, with all its lessons, will continue to shape the lives of future generations. The speaker is not merely a protector of her daughter but also a teacher, passing down the understanding that life’s challenges and transformations are universal. The pomegranate represents a rite of passage, one that the daughter will eventually encounter, much like the speaker did. The theme of generational continuity in the poem highlights the inevitability of passing on both the joys and sorrows of life, with each generation entering the same cycles of growth, suffering, and learning. The speaker’s recognition of this cycle underscores the profound connection between mothers and daughters, as both must navigate the same mythic themes of loss and survival.

Literary Theories and “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

Literary Theory	Explanation	References from the Poem
Feminist Theory	Feminist theory can be applied to explore the roles and experiences of women in literature. In “The Pomegranate,” Boland reinterprets the myth of Ceres and Persephone, focusing on the emotional and psychological struggles of women, especially mothers. The poem delves into themes of motherhood, loss, and generational identity, with a clear emphasis on the maternal experience.	“I was Ceres then and I knew / winter was in store for every leaf”—Here, the speaker identifies with Ceres, the grieving mother, highlighting the emotional depth of motherhood and the inherent suffering it brings, especially in a patriarchal context where women are often burdened with the responsibility of nurturing.
Mythological Criticism	Mythological criticism examines the role of myth and its influence on literature. Boland’s use of the myth of Ceres and Persephone in “The Pomegranate” not only connects the personal experience of motherhood to a broader mythic tradition but also explores the cyclical nature of myth and how it informs personal identity. The myth becomes a framework for understanding universal themes of loss and transformation.	“The only legend I have ever loved is / the story of a daughter lost in hell”—This reference to the myth of Persephone and Ceres frames the poem, showing how myth influences the speaker’s reflection on motherhood and loss, transforming a classical myth into a deeply personal narrative.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Psychoanalytic criticism explores the psychological motivations of characters and the unconscious forces that shape their actions. In “The Pomegranate,” Boland’s focus on the mother’s emotional struggle can be analyzed through the lens of Freudian or Jungian theory, where the mother’s protective instincts and the daughter’s inevitable journey through loss represent key psychological dynamics.	“If I defer the grief I will diminish the gift”—The speaker’s internal conflict reflects the psychological tension between holding onto the past (grief) and allowing for the future (growth), which is a central theme in psychoanalytic theory regarding the dynamics of repression and acceptance.
Poststructuralism	Poststructuralism challenges fixed meanings and highlights the fluidity of interpretation. In “The Pomegranate,” the myth of Ceres and Persephone is not treated as a static or singular narrative. Instead, it is reinterpreted through the speaker’s evolving personal experience. The poem emphasizes the multiple interpretations of myth, memory, and identity, suggesting that meaning is never fixed but always in flux.	“I can enter it anywhere. And have.”—The speaker acknowledges that the myth is flexible and can be entered at any point in time, reflecting poststructuralist ideas of how meaning can shift and be reinterpreted by individuals at different stages of life. The poem suggests that the story is dynamic, open to personal redefinition rather than a singular, fixed interpretation.

Critical Questions about “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

• How does Boland use the myth of Ceres and Persephone to reflect on the experience of motherhood in “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland?
• Boland uses the myth of Ceres and Persephone as a framework to explore the emotional complexity of motherhood. The myth of Persephone’s abduction to the underworld and Ceres’ subsequent grief provides a powerful metaphor for the universal experience of loss that comes with parenthood. In the poem, the speaker identifies herself with Ceres, recognizing the inescapable nature of suffering that comes with being a mother. She writes, “I was Ceres then and I knew / winter was in store for every leaf,” suggesting that, as a mother, she is intimately aware of the inevitability of hardship and separation. The pomegranate, a key element in the myth, symbolizes the painful realization that children, like Persephone, must eventually face their own trials and sufferings, regardless of the mother’s desire to protect them. This use of the myth highlights how the speaker, as a mother, must come to terms with the fact that she cannot shield her daughter from the inevitable changes and losses of life. Through this connection to the myth, Boland underscores the bittersweet nature of motherhood, where the desire to protect is in constant tension with the reality of a child’s own growth and independence.
• What does the pomegranate symbolize in “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland, and how does it function as a metaphor?
• The pomegranate in “The Pomegranate” functions as a potent symbol of temptation, fate, and the irreversible nature of decisions. Drawing from the myth of Persephone, the pomegranate represents the fruit that seals her fate when she eats it in the underworld, thus ensuring that she will spend part of each year in the realm of the dead. In Boland’s poem, the pomegranate is a symbol of choices—particularly those that are difficult, irreversible, and laden with consequence. The speaker laments that her daughter, “reached out a hand and plucked a pomegranate,” an act that echoes Persephone’s fateful decision. This moment in the poem represents a loss of innocence, as the daughter steps into a world where she must face difficult realities. Boland writes, “She could have come home and been safe / and ended the story,” implying that the pomegranate signifies the choice to step into a new phase of life, full of complexity and inevitable sorrow. It becomes a metaphor for the moments of life that one cannot undo, and the speaker’s struggle lies in accepting that her daughter, like Persephone, must make such choices to grow and learn.
• How does Boland address the theme of generational continuity in “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland?
• Generational continuity is a key theme in “The Pomegranate,” where the speaker reflects on how the myth of Ceres and Persephone is passed down through generations and becomes a shared experience between mother and daughter. The speaker acknowledges that her daughter will eventually enter the myth, just as she did, when she writes, “The legend will be hers as well as mine.” This suggests that the cycle of loss, growth, and transformation is not only part of the speaker’s life but will inevitably become part of her daughter’s journey as well. Boland’s reference to “She will enter it. As I have.” emphasizes this continuity, where the mother-daughter relationship is framed not only in terms of protection and nurturing but also in terms of shared experience and the transmission of wisdom. The poem suggests that the lessons of the past—the myths, the grief, and the wisdom—are passed down through generations, and that each generation must face the same universal truths, like the inevitability of suffering and loss. In this way, the poem captures the cyclical nature of life and the passing of stories, myths, and emotional burdens between mothers and daughters.
• In what ways does the poem suggest the inevitability of loss and change, and how does the speaker cope with it in “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland?
• The inevitability of loss and change is a central theme in “The Pomegranate,” as Boland explores the emotional toll of accepting that everything in life is transient. The speaker’s realization that “winter was in store for every leaf” highlights her awareness that all things, including innocence and youth, must eventually face decay and loss. Winter in the poem symbolizes not only physical decay but also emotional loss, signaling the unavoidable changes in life. The poem contrasts the hopeful imagery of a summer twilight and a daughter running toward her mother with the harsh recognition that “winter was in store.” Even the lush, fragrant imagery of “whitebeams” and “honey-scented buddleias” is tinged with the knowledge that decay and hardship are unavoidable. The speaker is painfully aware that, just as Persephone’s fate in the myth is sealed by eating the pomegranate, her daughter too will face her own challenges, despite her mother’s best efforts to shield her. The inevitability of change is underscored by the pomegranate, which, much like Persephone’s fateful choice, symbolizes a moment of irreversible transformation. The speaker copes with this reality by embracing the cycle, knowing that loss is a natural part of growth. By accepting the grief that comes with it, the speaker ensures that the lessons of the past are passed on, allowing her daughter to enter the myth, as she has, and experience the world’s inevitabilities for herself.

Literary Works Similar to “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

1. “The Journey” by Mary Oliver: Oliver’s poem shares a thematic connection with “The Pomegranate,” as both deal with the process of personal growth, choice, and the irreversible nature of decisions.
2. “The Loss of the Creature” by Walker Percy: Percy’s poem, while prose, deals with themes of transformation and loss in a way similar to Boland’s exploration of myth and the personal journey of change.
3. “A Mother’s Prayer” by Kahlil Gibran: Gibran’s work, like Boland’s, explores the deep emotional bond between mother and child, reflecting on the mother’s desire to protect and the inevitability of loss and change.

Representative Quotations of “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“The only legend I have ever loved is / the story of a daughter lost in hell.”	The speaker expresses a deep personal connection to the myth of Persephone’s abduction by Hades, symbolizing a mother’s emotional attachment to a story of loss and longing.	Feminist Theory – This reflects the maternal grief and love, placing the myth in a female-centered context and exploring the emotional burdens placed on women.
“I was Ceres then and I knew / winter was in store for every leaf.”	The speaker identifies with Ceres, reflecting on the inevitability of loss and suffering as part of the maternal experience.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The speaker’s recognition of the inevitable passage of time and suffering represents a psychological journey toward accepting loss as part of the life cycle.
“She could have come home and been safe / and ended the story.”	The speaker reflects on the possibility of her daughter avoiding the same fate as Persephone, symbolizing a mother’s desire to protect her child from hardship.	Feminist Theory – The mother’s desire to protect her daughter mirrors the deep maternal instinct to shield offspring from danger, typical in feminist readings of myth.
“The pomegranate! How did I forget it?”	The speaker realizes the critical moment in the myth of Persephone, where eating the pomegranate seals her fate, signaling the loss of innocence.	Mythological Criticism – This moment highlights the symbolic importance of the pomegranate, tying it to the myth of Persephone and the irreversible decisions in life.
“If I defer the grief I will diminish the gift.”	The speaker acknowledges that avoiding grief would prevent the full emotional and life lessons from being passed on to her daughter.	Poststructuralism – The speaker reflects on the multiplicity of meanings associated with grief and the importance of accepting it as part of personal growth.
“The legend will be hers as well as mine.”	The speaker recognizes that the myth and its lessons will pass from mother to daughter, illustrating generational continuity.	Generational Continuity – The theory of passing down wisdom, suffering, and myth through generations is evident in this quotation, reflecting the cyclical nature of life.
“She will enter it. As I have.”	The speaker acknowledges that her daughter will eventually face the same challenges and transformations as she did, underscoring the inevitable passage of life.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The line conveys the psychological development of the daughter, preparing for the emotional growth that will mirror the mother’s journey.
“It is winter and the stars are hidden.”	This line uses the image of winter and hidden stars to evoke feelings of despair, emphasizing the harsh reality of life and the inevitable cycles of hardship.	Mythological Criticism – The imagery draws on the mythic association of the underworld (winter) with darkness and loss, similar to Persephone’s time in the underworld.
“The suburb has cars and cable television.”	This line places the poem’s modern context against the ancient myth, suggesting the persistence of loss and change despite the passage of time and technology.	Poststructuralism – By juxtaposing modernity with myth, Boland reflects on how the meanings of myths evolve and how they remain relevant across time.
“I carried her back past whitebeams / and wasps and honey-scented buddleias.”	The mother recalls a peaceful moment with her daughter before the inevitable realization of loss and hardship, representing innocence and the approach of hardship.	Feminist Theory – This peaceful imagery contrasts the mother’s desire to protect her daughter with the harsh realities that she will face, central to feminist views of maternal love and loss.

Suggested Readings: “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland

1. Meier, Kaitlin Christine. The Legend that Is Hers as Well as Mine: A Nonlinear Dynamic Approach to the Mother/Daughter Relationship in Eavan Boland’s “The Pomegranate”. California State University, Fresno, 2020.
2. McWilliams, Deborah. “From out of My Womb: The Mother-Daughter Poems of Eavan Aisling Boland.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, vol. 88, no. 351, 1999, pp. 315–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30096080. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
3. McCallum, Shara. “Eavan Boland’s Gift: Sex, History, and Myth.” The Antioch Review, vol. 62, no. 1, 2004, pp. 37–43. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4614596. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
4. Clutterbuck, Catriona. “Eavan Boland and the Politics of Authority in Irish Poetry.” The Yearbook of English Studies, vol. 35, 2005, pp. 72–90. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3509326. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.