Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths

We learn only certain versions of myth in high school. Maybe an expanded view in college. This is a discussion of certain women in mythology and their possible points of view. This is for anyone who wants to learn more in depth about women in mythology, whose voices are often silenced or dismissed as unimportant to the men of their time

This book was an interesting look at the women in Greek myths. It does a fantastic job of looking below the surface to not only paint a complete picture of the women featured, but gives motive and sometimes explanation as to what their actions truly meant for their time. My only (small) complaint was it was so easy to get lost in the text as some paragraphs spanned a whole page, if not two. Even with this, it was still good as it was well thought out and researched. I think the author says it best:What Pandora brings to mortals is complexity. And that is true of all the women in this book: some have been painted as villains (Clytemnestra, Medea), some as victims (Eurydice, Penelope), some have been literally monstered (Medusa). But they are much more complicated than these thumbnail descriptions allow. Their stories should be read, seen, heard in all their difficult, messy, murderous detail. They aren’t simple, because nothing interesting is simple.

Some of my favorite chapters had to be the ones focused on Medusa, Medea, and the Amazons, although Penelope and Clytemnestra came close behind. With a sharp wit and occasional sarcasm to help keep her reader engaged, Haynes shreds whatever claims to the title hero men like Jason and Theseus have (and you really have to agree with her, especially about Theseus) to bring the story back around to the women. Medusa was hanging out in a cave not bothering anyone, having already suffered being sexually assaulted by Posiedon and cursed by Athene, she's sleeping and along comes this jerk with no personal grudge against her to chops off her head and weaponizes it. Every visual interpretation of this Haynes can find tends to make this moment both violent and sexual. What's that about, really?Clytemnestra and Medea win Greece's awards for "worst wife" and "worst mother" because, Haynes points out, Greek men were terrified of powerful women. It kind of makes you want to travel back to when the plays were first performed and watch the male audience shake in their sandals- especially over Euripides' Medea. Or would they have been more afraid of Clytemnestra? A woman with no magical power, no assistance from the gods, just ten years of rage over her husband sacrificing their daughter so he could go off to war and no one saying anything against it. He kills the kid, spends ten years at war making a name for himself and enjoying raping other women, then comes home (with his war "bride" in tow) and expects his wife to be happy about it? I'd have voted justifiable homicide if I was on that jury.There's something for everyone in these chapters- from original interpretations of Greek and how they can change meanings that stick with us down through the ages to the dangers of "sanitizing" myths to tell them to children. From descriptions of visual representations of myths in ancient pottery to what Medea's dragon chariot at the end of her play actually meant to the Greeks (which I thought was pretty great even if the male audience might not have); and modern operas of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice to modern Amazons together-we-are-powerful symbolism in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the exploration into some of Greek mythology's well known (and a few lesser known) women should resonate with women across all levels.As Natalie Haynes says, we keep retelling these stories because we find new questions they raise and new voices wanting to be heard, and each generation will undoubtedly continue to do so. But discovering some of the origins makes those stories even more interesting to me.

Only small portions of each story are included in each subject. Very disappointing.

Deep appreciation for Haynes's closer reading if a very complex goddess, whose simple origins had lasting cultiral effects. I appreciate how she reclaims an earlier understanding of Pandora that adds greater depth and context.

A Must for Mythology ReadersPandora's JarHaving read multiple mythology retellings this read was perfectly timed! The content was extensively researched, though I hesitate to say to excess because truly when you read a reference book as I believe this could be categorized you do want all the background! Thankfully Haynes spliced this history lesson with wit, anecdotes and pop culture usages of these mythological women! There's an evident passion to set the record straight about how retellings through history have rewritten and villainized many of these women.My love for Greek mythology has grown immensely from this collection! There were a couple spoilers about the fate of some women or certain stories, but I had already read about those women in prior books. For the majority of these women, I am grateful that the book didn't disclose their demise. However, I can't be sure whether she chose to omit it or their fates are simply not included in historical text.The advantage to Pandora's Jar is that I can refer back to the section of a specific individual as I continue my mythology journey! My favorite sections were Pandora and Clytemnestra! But all were fascinating! For some of the women I had read about I was astonished at how their stories have evolved and where creative liberties fill in blanks for fiction!Loved this one!!

Okay, where to start?!Natalie Haynes did an amazing job with wonderful feminist discussions about women in Greek myths. I enjoyed the writing so much, I feel like I could read anything she writes. 😆I have fallen in love with the Greek Myth retellings that have become more popular in recent years. I STILL need to grab A Thousand Ships by this wonderful author, but im a MASSIVE fan of Madeline Miller. A Thousnad Ships is now very high on my "books to buy" list!It was so refreshing to see the women discussed in this book, in a light that really focused on them. More often then not, women are forced into the background of their own stories. The retellings are warped in ways that make them villainous, monstrous, and just plain evil crazed women. Look how Medusa has been treated thought history!Going into this book, a basic knowledge of myths with definitely help but it's not necessary! The information in this book is wonderful and I learned so much I didn't know about many of the women featured. This was an absolutely GREAT read that I enjoyed soooo much.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Super llibre.Recomanat

As a lover of mythology, this book is fascinating as it covers not only the female perspective, but allows us a glimpse of the societies that created them. I was surprised by my former acceptance of the women’s portrayals. It’s hard to accept a Hollywood film, modern literature and casual conversation now and not see the stereotypes that I’ve been guilty of perpetrating.Beyond all of that, it’s a well written, enjoyable read.

This has nothing to do with the book, I'm disappointed with the seller. 20 min after I placed the order I found the seller has a lower price on their own website, so I requested a cancellation on Amazon. After waiting for 2 days, the order was not cancelled and the book was shipped. I contacted the seller and they told me the cancellation had to be requested with them directly, and since the book was shipped it was too late to cancel. I then asked for a price match and was refused, for the reason that their price "fluctuate". Honestly, I don't believe the price would fluctuate in just 20 min on a Saturday.Quality-wise it's just an average. Knowing it's a paper back and probably cheep print given it's price, I didn't expect mint condition and it's to my expectation. The corners are a bit chipped, and the face has dirt.

I bought Natalie Haynes’ latest book after a Guardian review of it, and with increasing delight and a hunger to see where she, panoptically knowledgeable and gifted with the ability to write about Old Stuff in new and most entertaining ways, would take me.Pandora led the charge, Greek mythical woman #1, an Eve-like figure, created on Zeus’s orders from clay as a ‘gift’ to Men to punish them for the (real) gift of Fire that Prometheus (whose name means ‘foresight’ I learned) gave to the then female-less race of Men. Fashioned from clay in the form of a woman she is taken down the slopes of Olympus by Hermes (the messenger of the Gods not the handbag maker) and – in one account – left in the care of Prometheus’s brother, Epimetheus (his name means ‘hindsight’). It’s not a box, it’s a jar she carries and it is Epimetheus who opens it and lets out . . . well, we all know. Pandora (her name means ‘all-giving’), a woman, gets the blame for all eternity for releasing the ‘evils’ just as Eve is blamed forever for her original sin.Natalie Haynes proceeds to unpick the various and often contradictory myths, with an eye for mistranslation of the ancient Greek and its impact on perceptions, in order Jocasta, Helen, Medusa, the Amazons, Clytemnestra, Eurydice, Phaedra, Medea and Penelope, often with references to contemporary ‘iterations’ of these archetypal women and with free discussion of how the lot of women was back then (c. 500-400 BCE) and with telling and acutely accurate connections to modern women. This is the real lesson from ancient myth: that plus ça change c’est la même chose. . .I learned also from the author that the playwright Euripides is, in her view, one of the greatest writers of his and subsequent generations, making me imagine a vision of Shakespeare and Aaron Sorkin rolled into one. Euripides is definitely one old Greek I want to know more about.As I read ‘Penelope’s Jar’ I shared with my wife (= interrupted her often) with my enthusiastic summaries of what I was learning, prompting her to comment when we got to Phaedra the immortal words of Jessica Rabbit/Kathleen Turner that “I’m not bad – I’m just drawn that way.” Exactamundo. And pretty much all the men – Theseus, Perseus, Odysseus, - treat their women, wives, lovers, sisters with cruelty and carelessness. So when Clytemnestra revenge-killed Agamemnon for sacrificing (murdering ) her daughter so he could get a good breeze to sail for Troy, I mentally punched the air.What a wonderful book. I read several chapters (and they are not short) twice, because they were that good - and to reflect on the insights the author presented this admiring reader. Haynes also looks and sounds like a laugh (I found some of her “Natalie Haynes Stands up for the Classics” Radio 4 broadcasts online), someone to sink a few pints with and roll around laughing as she issues devastating one-liners.Buy Pandora’s Jar. You won’t be disappointed.