Ashley's presentation focused on the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and the Eleusinian Mysteries. She mentioned that there are many examples of the relationship between father and child, such as in Hamlet and King Leer, but there are few examples of mother/daughter. One author mentioned was Adrienne Rich, the author of Woman Born, which deals with motherhood, issues of marriage and fertility, and the female rite of passage. Ashley also read a poem she wrote, entitled Tiger Lily, which concerned many things including Rage against the machine, Will-o'-the-wisp, Wonderland, and New Hampshire.
One facet of Ashley's presentation I particularly enjoyed was the mention of the religious rituals in which participators covered their eyes and mouth, which reminded me of The Dream and the Underworld, where Hillman mentions that vase paintings of Hades may show him with his face averted. "All this 'negative' evidence does coalesce to form a definite image of a void, an interiority or depth that is unknown but nameable, there and felt if not seen."
This seems very much like the Eleusinian Mysteries, where the mysteries are known but still hidden.
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