Alien and the Myth of Demeter and Persephone

Ridley Scott's 1979 film "Alien" has been admired and discussed for years. The powerful yet fleeting image of the alien as well as its connection to the ship and crew is both fascinating and disturbing. While many critics have speculated as to the nature of "Alien" and its symbolism, few have commented on its role as related to the myth of Demeter and Persephone. This may be due to the ambiguity in the assignment of the roles. The 'roles' of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades are all quite vague, and even interchangeable in the film.
At first glance, the ship seems to fill the role of Demeter.…