Pandora's Jar
Complex
Creative
Refreshing

Pandora's Jar Women in the Greek Myths

"Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of . . . but read on!"--Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale The national bestselling author of A Thousand Ships returns with a fascinating, eye-opening take on the remarkable women at the heart of classical stories Greek mythology from Helen of Troy to Pandora and the Amazons to Medea. The tellers of Greek myths--historically men--have routinely sidelined the female characters. When they do take a larger role, women are often portrayed as monstrous, vengeful or just plain evil--like Pandora, the woman of eternal scorn and damnation whose curiosity is tasked with causing all the world's suffering and wickedness when she opened that forbidden box. But, as Natalie Hayes reveals, in early Greek myths there was no box. It was a jar . . . which is far more likely to tip over. In Pandora's Jar, the broadcaster, writer, stand-up comedian, and passionate classicist turns the tables, putting the women of the Greek myths on an equal footing with the men. With wit, humor, and savvy, Haynes revolutionizes our understanding of epic poems, stories, and plays, resurrecting them from a woman's perspective and tracing the origins of their mythic female characters. She looks at women such as Jocasta, Oedipus' mother-turned-lover (turned Freudian sticking point), who gouged out her eyes upon discovering the truth about her new relationship, and was less helpless than we have been led to believe. She considers Helen of Troy--whose face famously "launch'd a thousand ships," but was decidedly more child than woman when she was accused of "causing" the Trojan war. She demonstrates how the vilified Medea was like an ancient Beyonce--getting her revenge on the men who hurt and betrayed her, perhaps justifiably so. And she turns her eye to Medusa--the serpent-like seductress whose stare turned men to stone--who wasn't always a monster, and was far more victim than perpetrator. Pandora's Jar brings nuance and care to the centuries-old myths and legends and asks the question: Why we were so quick to villainize these women in the first place--and so eager to accept the stories we've been told?
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Photo of Sara
Sara@sarawiser
4 stars
Aug 25, 2022
Photo of Melanie
Melanie@lcvejia
4 stars
Jun 13, 2024
Witty
Complex
Refreshing
Fascinating
Photo of Marisa clarke
Marisa clarke@mclarke
5 stars
Jan 30, 2024
Creative
Refreshing
Intelligent
Photo of Barbara Guerrero
Barbara Guerrero@oddityMX
5 stars
Nov 25, 2022
Daring
Clever
Eloquent
Powerful
Creative
Beautiful
Easy read
Insightful
Educational
Page turning
Thought provoking
Photo of olivia musick
olivia musick@oliviamusick
3 stars
Sep 19, 2022