Feminist Folklore and Mythology

From Artemis to Freya, in the world there were (we're talking about centuries/millennia ago) mythological creatures that now are classified as feminist ones.

But, let's talk about why these characters were invented.

I mean, why did society (which was mostly formed by men) accept mythological characters that defied what men said? Why can't we bring them again, showing them as an example, as if they're the moral of a story, for future generations?

Well, let me answer to all these questions.

First of all, these characters were introduced by the same men (who were part of patriarchy) to teach stubborn, fierce women, who kept defying men's orders, that they wouldn't end up well if they kept this behaviour. And you can tell from how horribly they described these characters in the myths, like Medusa, who was described as a Gorgon (originally a gorgeous woman who became an ugly monster, with her snake-hair, who petrified people with her blank stare).

Now let's meet some of the many feminist mythological characters who literally made history.

Greek Mythology

Athena - Member of the Twelve Olympians, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, warfare and handicraft, and often fought back other men's orders. She's still remembered now due to her unusual persona, and in fact, she was the one who often guided others, and not the other way around. So, Athena is unquestionably the perfect definition of feminism.

Penelope - Fictional character created by Homerus, Penelope is Odysseus' wife, and for twenty years, as she waited for her husband's return from Troy, cleverly resisted the suitors' (nobles who lived in Odysseus' palace) avances, showing intelligence and shrewdness, not very common traits amongst women.

The Furies - They are Greek spirits who punished those who harmed in any possible way women, especially those who commit crimes against their family and relatives.

Obviously there are many other Greek mythological and feminist characters, but I surely won't write a whole book that only talks about Greek mythology.

So let's continue with other cultures!

Jewish Folklore

Lilith - Adam's first wife, Lilith is probably the most famous feminist character out of all the other ones in Jewish folklore. She was Adam's equal, but when he tried to dominate her, she didn't hesitate to fight him back and leave Eden. She was seen as a "diabolical" figure, but now she's seen as a female symbol of defiance against patriarchy.

Eve - Even if she isn't a "real" feminist character, she still ate the fruit of knowledge (apple), fighting against divine power, seeking wisdom.

Deborah - In the "Book of Judges", Deborah is one of the few female leaders in the Bible. She was both a prophetess and a judge (unusual jobs for a woman at times), leading Israel in battle and delivering many wise rulings. She perhaps is the most wise character (in my opinion) in the whole Bible.

Other Mythological/Folklorish Feminist Characters

These were just a small part of the many feminist characters that have been introduced in folklore and in mythology, but I couldn't for sure put them all in here, make you die from boredom.

There are still other populations that had these characters that I didn't tell you, like in Chinese folklore, Hua Mulan (yes, she really existed) fights gender roles by pretending to be a man, going to war and fight to keep her family's honour. 

In conclusion, mythology and ancient folklore was full of feminist characters, and the thought of feminism existing for this long is incredible.

That's all I had to say for today.

I hope you enjoyed today's post!

Have a good day/afternoon/evening/night!

-Rose❤️