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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
challenging
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
This is a great look at the women of Greek mythology through a feminist lens. Haynes discusses the myths themselves, analyzes the role the women play, and makes connections to modern stories to demonstrate their lasting influence. Very well researched, very incisively written.
Haynes, in the chapter on Phaedra, stated, "Just to be clear, I am not suggesting for a moment that the ancient world isn't packed with its own misogyny: it is. The literature and art which survive today were created in highly patriarchal societies which gave enormous power to a small group of wealthy men. But all too often it is the misogyny of more recent times that we are reading." She goes on to give several examples of how the ancient texts differ from the modern ones - and how the changes (often done to make the heroes look more heroic) reflect modern views of women.
This quote, more than anything, stuck with me as I read this book. It is easy to read modern translations and think we are just reading the ancient text in its original form. And, honestly, I never would have thought much about this (not being a classics expert) - but it is something to think about.
Haynes, in the chapter on Phaedra, stated, "Just to be clear, I am not suggesting for a moment that the ancient world isn't packed with its own misogyny: it is. The literature and art which survive today were created in highly patriarchal societies which gave enormous power to a small group of wealthy men. But all too often it is the misogyny of more recent times that we are reading." She goes on to give several examples of how the ancient texts differ from the modern ones - and how the changes (often done to make the heroes look more heroic) reflect modern views of women.
This quote, more than anything, stuck with me as I read this book. It is easy to read modern translations and think we are just reading the ancient text in its original form. And, honestly, I never would have thought much about this (not being a classics expert) - but it is something to think about.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
If you want history in a story that tells you more about these stories and their influence on everything, READ THIS!
Loved the information in this book. Haynes did their research properly, and I got surprised with information I didn't know in every chapter I read. However, Haynes sometimes uses more informal language to perhaps make the material more "hip", but sometimes came of as a little tone deaf and was a bit distracting. I became used to it, and it is surely a lovely read for people who love feminist theory and ancient Greek myths.