Olympus Vs. Equality:  Feminism Rewritings in Classical Mythology

Murphy, Meaghan

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Olympus Vs. Equality: Feminism Rewritings in Classical Mythology

Murphy, Meaghan

Abstract

Madeline Miller’s Circe, Ali Smith’s Girl Meets Boy, and Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad are written from a feminist perspective. This paper investigates how, along with why these modern rewritings are feminist. Western culture is looked at regarding the #metoo movement and virginity testing. Penelope, Ianthee and Circe’s voices are vital because women are still being mistreated. This paper deals with sexuality, rape, and motherhood in present day compared to ancient Greek. Myth is an important tool for storytelling. Myth is able to teach morals and values in the twenty-first century through these three modern rewritings of classical myths, such as The Odyssey and Ovid’s Metamorphoses.