The Velvet Chamber
An Anthology of Revisioned Myth and Fairy Tale

Explore the dark side of the female psyche --A CALL FOR WRITERS



Jezebel.com supports The Velvet Chamber

Chambers of Blood and Velvet: Subverting The Classics for Feminist Ends. Read it here.





Sunday, May 9, 2010

She has the last laugh

Cassandra.  Tragic and beautiful.  Adored by Apollo who gave her the gift of prophecy.  When he tried to seduce her, she rebelled, said, "No, I've changed my mind."   Apollo was pissed.  Tricked by a woman, a mere mortal.  He couldn't take away her gift, so he added a twist, "No one will ever believe you."  Thus the most gifted seer in the western hemisphere was mocked and shunned.  People said, "She's crazy."  She's a madwoman ripping at her clothes.  Laughed at.  So the story goes. Yet, she has the last laugh when every single one of her prophecies come true.  She is the woman who no one listens to, yet she is the only one telling the truth.  It is a familiar conundrum.

Image: Anthony Frederick Sandys, English Pre-Raphaelite.
Share |
Posted by LA Slugocki at 10:36 AM
Labels: , ,

3 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 9, 2010 at 4:08 PM

    yeap, the power of female intuition and confidence have frightened many generations of men - so presenting it as more of a punishment is the only way they have been able to successfully limit it and have it perceived as more of a burden. Often overworked, today's women have been forced to move further away from our natural gifts. But we gonna bring them back!

    ReplyDelete
  2. lisahgoldenMay 13, 2010 at 8:50 AM

    The desire to be heard and believed is a powerful one. The gift of "sight" is something I crave and fear.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LA SlugockiMay 13, 2010 at 9:04 AM

    she's a very provocative archetype--- in the classic story, she's raped by Ajax, would love to see someone turn that story around

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)