The goddess myth in contemporary literature and popular culture : a feminist critique / Mary J. Magoulick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Magoulick, Mary J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Goddesses--Mythology.

Goddesses.

Goddesses in literature.

Goddess religion.

Goddess religion in literature.

Goddesses in art.

Goddesses--Miscellanea.

Goddesses--Folklore.

Folklore.

Miscellanea.

Mythology.

Genre:

Folklore.

Trivia and miscellanea.

Physical Description:

259 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, [2022]

Summary:

"Goddess characters are revered as feminist heroes in the popular media of many cultures. However, these goddess characters often prove to be less promising and more regressive than most people initially perceive. Goddesses in film, television, and fiction project worldviews and messages that reflect mostly patriarchal culture (included essentialized gender assumptions), in contrast to the feminist, empowering levels many fans and critics observe. Building on critiques of other skeptical scholars, this feminist, folkloristic approach deepens how our remythologizing of the ancient past reflects a contemporary worldview and rhetoric. Structures of contemporary goddess myths often fit typical extremes as either vilified, destructive, dark, and chaotic (typical in film or television); or romanticized, positive, even utopian (typical in women's speculative fiction). This goddess spectrum persistently essentializes gender, stereotyping women as emotional, intuitive, sexual, motherly beings (good or bad), precluded from complex potential and fuller natures. Within apparent good-over-evil, pop-culture narrative frames, these goddesses all suffer significantly. However, a few recent intersectional writers, like N. K. Jemisin, breakthrough these dark reflections of contemporary power dynamics to offer complex characters who evince "hopepunk." They resist typical simplified, reductionist absolutes to offer messages that resonate with potential for today's world. Mythic narratives featuring goddesses often do, but need not, serve merely as ideological mirrors of our culture's still problematically reductionist approach to women and all humanity"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: pt. I The Goddess Myth as Myth

ch. 1 Origins, Prehistory, and Attending to Science

ch. 2 Mythic Expressions of Goddess Culture and Mythology

pt. II New Goddess Myths in Literature and Popular Culture

ch. 3 Literary Myths of Matriarchy

ch. 4 The Bad Goddess in Film and Television

ch. 5 The Good Goddess in Popular Fiction

ch. 6 Mixed Messages in Modern Myths.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Magoulick, Mary J. Goddess myth in contemporary literature and popular culture

ISBN:

9781496837066

1496837061

9781496837059

1496837053

OCLC:

1250309705

Publisher Number:

99989675067