Pandora's Jar Women in the Greek Myths
Reviews
Natalie Haynes makes a beautiful description of the women in the greek myths. You are able to get to know more and to understand that most of the times they are not the “demons” history made of them.
Must read for Greek mythology enthusiasts
(Re-read) This remains required reading for ex Percy Jackson girlies and/or Greek mythology enthusiasts who have many many bones to pick all of the time.
This is not really a book with a story, it's more like a book to look up the story of specific mythological women and its different versions. Not bad, just not necessarily what I expected.
Beautiful book that discusses the women in Greek myths. These women are often overlooked and diminished to footnotes in their ancient stories, here Haynes offers a new perspective on these women. She offers a well researched nuanced conversation of their beliefs, emotions and even their motives for their actions. Very insightful as Haynes pulls from a variety of source material as well as modern versions to fully showcase these women. It is very well written! Highly recommend for anyone interested in classical greek literature as well as feminist literature.
i greatly enjoyed this. i think the act alone of putting the spotlight on women in greek mythology can be feminist on its own but i think the diligence with which natalie haynes digs through classical text to make the case for them is where her work truly shines. treating them with nuance truly gives these women (female characters if you will) the voice and dignity that many a tellings and retellings have instead granted their male counterparts. (i am sorry, i am still not over my horrid experience with lore . i also liked that haynes did not shy away from discussing less "savoury" women like phaedra and clytemnestra (even though clytemnestra was totally right, for me, personally); i am a firm believer in the importance of depicting women falling on variety of spectrums of morality. if there was one area where i think the essays could have delved deeper it was when it came to more contemporary depictions of the women selected for the book. while it was certainly interesting to have the instances across different media pointed out even as a catalogue, i do wish that they had been expanded upon a bit more. i understand this might have not been possible, sometimes limited by the format, sometimes by the material itself, but i feel it would have further strengthened the thesis of the book that "myths exist in multiple timelines - the time they are set, the time they were first told, and every retelling after".
The book breaks down into some commonly-known female characters of Greek Mythos, and gives a refreshing perspective about how women are commonly villainized within these mythologies, and how we may reconsider them going forward.
I really enjoyed how Hayes referenced a variety of different sources for each of the women’s tales. You learn about likely origins of the myths, and how they were retold over time, with additional perspectives provided by Hayes herself (Madea was stand-out for this in particular)- you’re provided with all the information, to make your own conclusion, to inform your own mythological retellings.
This read was so impressionable to me that I’ve added all of Natalie Hayes’ works to my TBR, the perfect blend of informative and entertaining. Brilliant!
Haynes delivers 10 chapters highlighting women who serve as some of the lesser recognized star players of Ancient Greek mythology. I like how she talks about different iterations of these characters as they appear in works and even makes comparisons to contemporary culture.
A gorgeous analysis of classical greek tales with a feminist spotlight on the women often lost or overshadowed by the larger story. A great read for anyone who loves ancient history, feminism and the subverting (much needed!) of male-centred stories.
amazing show stopping life changing brilliant incredible
AMAZING, please read it guys!!
“When people ask why tell the stories that we know best from the Odyssey from Penelope’s perspective, or Circe’s perspective, they presuppose that the story ‘should’ be told from Odysseus’ point of view.” I really enjoyed this book. I have a minimal understanding of greek mythology and found this book easy to read. The book is well written and I enjoyed the stories that make up the book. Anyone interested in mythology should read this! I look forward to buying more of Natalie Haynes’ books.
Natalie Haynes works magic in this modern, feminised retelling of classic Greek myths. It's important to note that while women are centred in the retellings, it is not done in any way that's gimmicky. Haynes makes a compelling case in each and every case as to what these stores might mean if only we bothered, or were graced with the opportunity, to look at them from a different perspective. Each chapter is riveting and accessible and thoughtful and hilarious. A brilliant book.
Beautiful book that discusses the women in Greek myths. These women are often overlooked and diminished to footnotes in these ancient stories, here Haynes offers a new perspective on these women. She offers a well researched nuanced conversation of their beliefs, emotions and even their motives for their actions. Very insightful and well written! Highly recommend for anyone interested in Classical literature as well as feminist literature.
A very informative book, sometimes a little slow to read. I loved Haynes' remarks.
Highlights
And if history has taught us anything, it is that women making a noise - whether speaking or shouting - tend to be viewed as intrinsically disruptive.
If killing a man seems somehow less forgivable than killing a sea monster, we might do well to remember one story about Laius [ . . . ] that tells of him kidnapping a young man and raping him. Ashamed at what has been done to him, the young man, Chrysippos, kills himself with a sword. There is more than one kind of monster.
When women take up space, there is less available for men. But it means we get a whole story instead of half of one.
“When women take up space, there is less available for men. But it means we get a whole story instead of half of one.”
“Unlike Eve, who at least gets a line or two of dialogue to explain herself, Pandora is (for all that she had been given a voice by Hermes) mute. Whatever motives we attribute to her are ours, and ours alone.”
“Every myth contains multiple timelines within itself: the time in which it is set, the time it is first told, and every retelling afterwards. Myths may be the home of the miraculous, but they are also of us. Which version of a story we choose to tell, which characters we place in the foreground, which ones we allow to fade into the shadows: these reflect both the teller and the reader, as much as they show the characters of the myth. We have made space in our story- telling to rediscover women who have been lost or forgotten. They are not villains, victims, wives and monsters: they are people.”
We do not live in a world of heroes and villains, and if we believe we do, we should really consider the possibility that we haven't thought about things properly. We cannot hope to make sense of our stories or ourselves (myths are a mirror of us, after all) if we refuse to look at half of the picture. Or- worse - don't even notice half of it is missing. This book is an attempt to fill in some of the blank space.
Their stories should be read, seen, heard in all their difficult, messy, murderous detail. They aren't simple, because nothing interesting is simple.
As Ulitskaya puts it: 'Medea had a saying, which Nike was fond of quoting: "Cleverness covers any failing."
And here is Medea, scorned, wronged and absolutely calm as she describes Jason's destruction of her life. Her self-control is as disconcerting as her extreme emotions. What she goes on to say next is so remarkable that it was being quoted at suffrage meetings more than 2,300 years after it was written. Of all living creatures, she says, we women are the most wretched.
“Amazons were a bunch of golden-shielded, silver-axed, man-loving, boy-killing women." The fifth-century BCE historian Hellanikos of Lesbos presumably doesnt intend this list as a compliment, but it certainly makes me want to join them.
And if history has taught us anything, it is that women making a noise whether speaking or shouting tend to be viewed as intrinsically disruptive.
Myths may be the home of the miraculous, but they are also mirrors of us. Which version of a story we choose to tell, which characters we place in the foreground, which ones we allow to fade into the shadows: these reflect both the teller and the reader, as much as they show the characters of the myth.