Promises and Pomegranates

The myth of Hades, the god of the Underworld, and Persephone, the goddess of spring, appears in many texts. Ancient writers agree that Hades abducts Persephone while she is picking flowers. He sees her and becomes obsessed with her. Some writers agree on Persephone’s eventual enjoyment in her new role as the queen of the Underworld. This myth provides the backdrop for the tale of Kal and Elena. It not only frames the arc of their story and Elena’s eventual acceptance of the marriage but also foreshadows the couple’s equality and mutual consent within the relationship. Because it blends myth with a contemporary mafia setting, Promises and Pomegranates also fits into the growing subgenre of dark romance, where morally gray heroes, taboo relationships, and themes of captivity and obsession are central.

The beginnings of these relationships are similar, emphasizing Kal’s obsession with Elena and her own victimhood and powerlessness. Elena is lured away from her family by Kal, and Persephone is kidnapped by Hades. Unbeknownst to Persephone’s mother, Demeter, Persephone’s father, Zeus, gives Hades permission to marry her. Like Demeter, Carmen has no idea where her daughter is when she goes missing, unaware of the deal between Rafael and Kal.