THE ARCHETYPES OF CERES AND HESTIA IN FEMALE SOLE PARENTHOOD

Abstract

This article symbolically analyzes female single parenthood through the mythological archetypes of Ceres and Hestia, in order to understand the emotional, symbolic, and social dimensions of women who take on the responsibility of raising their children alone. The research adopts a qualitative and theoretical-interpretive approach, grounded in analytical psychology, comparative mythology, and studies on gender and social vulnerability. Ceres, goddess of fertility and nourishment, represents the maternal force devoted to care, protection, and resilient love in the face of loss; Hestia, guardian of the inner fire, symbolizes introspection, autonomy, and emotional stability. The coexistence of these archetypes reveals the psychic and symbolic complexity of single mothers, who navigate between caring for others and caring for themselves. In the Brazilian context, especially in the Amazon region, female single parenthood is particularly prominent, marked by structural inequalities of gender, race, and class that intensify women’s emotional and material overload. The analysis shows that an archetypal reading broadens the understanding of female experience beyond socioeconomic indicators, recognizing its subjective and spiritual depth. The study further suggests that public policies and clinical practices should incorporate such symbolic dimensions as essential to promoting recognition, care, and social justice for women living in single-parent contexts.