The Many-Faced Heroine. The Female Archetype in Mythology and Literature

"The Many-Faced Heroine" is a grand exploration of female images in world culture, in which Harvard professor, cultural scholar, and literary critic Maria Tatar challenges the canonical archetypes described by Joseph Campbell. She analyzes the "heroine's journey" through the realm of stories to convincingly demonstrate that women are not only mothers, wives, or goddess-patronesses of heroes. They can fight, deceive, travel, and tell stories, guided by their own motives and interests, rather than simply complementing and inspiring men. You will learn about the heroism of Penelope from the "Odyssey" and Scheherazade from the "Arabian Nights," what connects the ancient myths of Philomela and Arachne with the #MeToo movement, and how the phenomenon of Wonder Woman can be explained. The book is full of examples from myths, epic poems, fairy tales, fiction, and cinema, where women become key heroines, and their unique journeys demonstrate the diversity and richness of the female experience.