Binding: Paperback
Description: A fresh cultural analysis of female monsters from Greek mythology and an invitation for all women to reclaim these stories as inspiration for a more wild more monstrous version of feminism The folklore that has shaped our dominant culture teems with frightening female creatures. In our language in our stories (many written by men) we underline the idea that women who step out of bounds who are angry or greedy or ambitious who are overtly sexual or not sexy enough aren t just outside the norm. They re unnatural. Monstrous. But maybe the traits we ve been told make us dangerous and undesirable are actually our greatest strengths. Through fresh analysis of 11 female monsters including Medusa the Harpies the Furies and the Sphinx Jess Zimmerman takes us on an illuminating feminist journey through mythology. She guides women (and others) to reexamine their relationships with traits like hunger anger ugliness and ambition teaching readers to embrace a new image of the female hero: one that looks a lot like a monster with the agency and power to match. Often women try to avoid the feeling of monstrousness of being grotesquely alien by tamping down those qualities that we re told fall outside the bounds of natural femininity. But monsters also get to do what other female characters damsels love interests and even most heroines do not. Monsters get to be complete unrestrained and larger than life. Today women are becoming increasingly aware of the ways rules and socially constructed expectations have diminished us. After seeing where compliance gets us harassed shut out and ruled by predators women have never been more ready to become repellent fearsome and ravenous.
Title: Women And Other Monsters Building A New Mythology
Author(s): Zimmerman Jess
Publisher: Beacon Press
Barcode: 9780807055540
Pages: 224 Pages
Publication Date: 3/8/2022
Category: Society & Culture: General