Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Mythical, Magical and Monstrous Women

Today I attend a symposium on "Mythical, Magical and Monstrous Women in Contemporary Women's Writing". It was a very interesting event.
The main themes of the symposium were those of the nature of a "She-Monster" in literary terms, examining archetypes and subversions of this trope using feminist theory. We were treated to panels as far-ranging as "The Wicked Anti-Mother: Bellatrix Lestrange" to "Angela Carter and the Sadeian Gothic" to "Addressing Female Sexuality and Identity in Japanese Comics".
As well as increase my desire to study a Masters, the symposium was also useful when considering my own writing. I'm currently creating my own "she-monster" in Matti, and I do not want her to succumb to typical patriarchal stereotypes of powerful women, and I do not want my story to reaffirm the Mother/Madonna/Whore doctrine found in so much classic literature.
Matti is coming together piece by piece, and I am glad I am taking my time with it, as I hope that the finished product will be something amazing.