Why Hades isn't Evil: All About the Greek God Hades
Hades: Evil God or Misunderstood?
One of the most misunderstood figures in Greek mythology is Hades (Haides), God of the Underworld. The modern concept of Hades as a villain is largely due to depictions in popular culture, being mistaken for the god of death, and his association with the Underworld (also named Hades) which is wrongly conflated with the Judea-Christian hell and Satan. Read on to learn why Hades isn't a bad guy -- just misunderstood (no, really!).
Aphrodite's Apothecary's
Hades Candle.
Who is Hades?
Hades was the son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and was consumed by his father (along with his siblings Demeter, Hestia, Hera, and Poseidon) immediately after birth due to a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him as King of the Gods. Eventually, Zeus, Hades' brother, freed him and his siblings and together they drove the Titans down to the pits of Tartarus and claimed godship for themselves.
After their triumphant victory, the three brothers, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon drew lots for their portion of the cosmos to rule. Zeus drew the clear skies and become the king of Mount Olympus, Poseidon drew the fearsome seas, and Hades the dismal and undesirable underworld.
What is Hades the God Of?
One popular misconception about Hades is that he is the god of death but that is not the case--he is the god of the dead. This simple bit of wordplay is key. Hades presides over the dead and the Underworld but he does not physically take the souls of people or cause their demise. Those deathly duties belong to Thanatos, the true god of death and Charon, the ferryman, who carries departed souls across the river, Styx, which separates the land of the living from the dead.
In addition to being the god of the dead, Hades is the god of the hidden treasures beneath the earth -- such as gold, silver, and other precious minerals. Like most Greek gods, Hades has different facets of his being that serve different purposes -- there is Hades, King of the Underworld and Hades, "the Lord of Riches" who was a giver of wealth and earth's bounty.
Is Hades Evil?
The short answer? No. Hades is often unfairly vilified due to his domain—the Underworld—which is frequently compared to the Judeo-Christian Hell. However, this comparison is misleading. Unlike Satan, who is depicted as a fallen angel seeking to thwart God, sew discord, and corrupt souls, Hades simply serves to enforce the boundary and rules of life and death. Hades does not dole out punishments or torture souls in his realm—that responsibility falls to the three judges of the Underworld: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus. Hades merely enforces the rules of the Underworld and ensures that the natural cycle of life and death is maintained (aside from the few exceptions he's made due to his empathy...yes, Hades is empathetic!).
The Greek Underworld is a vast, neutral realm that contains different regions, such as the heaven-like Elysian Fields reserved for heroes, the Asphodel Meadows for neutral souls that were not exceptionally good nor terribly bad, and Tartarus, where only the truly wicked suffer. The Asphodel Meadows, where most souls go, is surprisingly dull: a meadow filled with ash and asphodel flowers, and is more akin to the Catholic purgatory than to heaven or hell.
The Abduction of Persephone
One of the most well-known myths involving Hades is his abduction of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. While the story is undeniably problematic—since Persephone is taken to the Underworld against her will and presumably assaulted—later interpretations of the myth paint their relationship in a more positive light. Demeter, distraught by her daughter's abduction, rallied together with allies such as Hecate, to demand her return. A deal was struck and Persephone was eventually returned, led back to the land of the living by Hecate's twin torches. However, as part of the deal, Persephone was married to Hades and bound to remain half the year in the Underworld. And so, the world dies every autumn as Demeter mourns her daughter's departure but blooms to life in the spring when Persephone returns.
Modern depictions lay out this story differently. It is less of a story of trauma and instead a story of defiance. In contemporary tellings of the Hades and Persephone myth, Persephone is viewed as a daughter dating a man her controlling mother doesn't approve of and Persephone's "abduction" was actually an elopement which sent Demeter into hysterics. This theory is somewhat supported by myth because, unlike many gods who were unfaithful to their spouses (looking at you, horn-dog Zeus!), Hades remained loyal to Persephone and genuinely cared for her. Over time, Persephone came to rule alongside Hades as Queen of the Underworld and an equal, and their relationship is often depicted as one of mutual respect.
The Hades and Persephone myth also serves an important role in antiquity for explaining the cycle of seasons. When Persephone is in the Underworld for part of the year, her mother, Demeter, mourns and refuses to let crops grow, resulting in winter. When Persephone returns to the surface, Demeter rejoices, bringing about spring and summer. This myth not only mirrors the cycle of life, death, and rebirth but also highlights Hades’ role in maintaining order and following rules rather than being a force for evil.
Final Notes on Hades' Character
Despite his grim reputation, Hades is actually one of the more reasonable and less wrathful gods in Greek mythology. He rarely meddles in mortal affairs (since he spends his time deep below the mortal world in the land of the dead) and is not known for petty revenge or impulsive outbursts like other of his Olympians. In fact, there are many myths where he shows kindness, such as when he allows Orpheus to attempt to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld or when he gives hospitality to Heracles during his twelfth labor. Hades' kindness may come from a sense of loneliness and otherness due to his separation from the other gods on Olympus.
Ultimately, Hades is not an evil figure, but rather a necessary and even just force in the natural world. His role is essential to maintaining the balance of life and death, and his portrayal as a villain is more a product of modern religious and pop culture interpretations than actual mythology. So the next time you hear someone equating Hades with the Devil, remind them: Hades isn’t evil—he’s just misunderstood!