“…Mrs. Dalloway’s parasol…like a sacred weapon which a Goddess, having acquitted herself honourably in the field of battle, sheds…” (pg. 30)
Although there is no particular Goddess being alluded to here, several women of myth can fit this description. In Greek mythology, the goddesses Artemis and Athena both bear “sacred” weapons. Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt, is often depicted carrying a bow and arrows. Athena, the Goddess of wisdom and strategic battle, is frequently portrayed with a shield and lance. Woolf references a Goddess in order to make a connection to Clarissa’s personality and behavior. She attributes Clarissa with such divine qualities to accentuate her role as a leader and visionary in her society.
"Artemis." Encyclopedia Mythica: mythology, folklore, and religion. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/artemis.html
"Athena." Wikipedia. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena
Photo Credit: Artemis. Digital image. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4619937/artemis_Full.jpg
Athena. Digital image. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://www.gnosticeditions.com/images/goddess-athena.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment