Analysis Of Circe: Classical Vs. Modern Depictions Of Women

William Kellogg

8/11/2022

Circe Final Assessment

Honors English 2-Davenport

Classical vs Modern Depictions of Women

“Would I be skimmed milk or harpy? A foolish gull or a villainous monster?” In ancient times women were seen to serve a role and fit into an archetype in society, and this was reflected in classical literature of the time, including works such as Argonautica and “Circe”. Madeline Miller’s Circe, a take on the character in the Odyssey, tackles this idea with a modern twist. She is able to take the ideals of the past and transform them to reflect more modern ideals. She breaks the mold that was put onto women during the time, and is able to create a unique, and more modern story for the character of Circe. She also looks to evolve

Often in literature, assumptions about society and groups of people can be made by interpreting the interactions between specific individuals in said groups. Madeline Miller’s Circe utilizes interactions, often between Circe and important male characters, to illustrate a picture that represents the highly patriarchal beliefs of the time. Circe has a particularly important relationship with a male character in the book, Hermes, that evolves over time to demonstrate the typical relationship between the two groups of people. In particular, during one of Hermes’s many visits to Aiaia, Hermes is speaking about having sex with nymphs, to which Circe objects they would “run screaming”, and Hermes responds by saying they “always do”, but nymphs “are terrible at getting away”(Miller 181). This comment is meant to show how Hermes often uses nymphs just for sexual pleasure, and often rapes them to satisfy this need. This interaction displays nymphs as nothing more than a means for the gods to satisfy their sexual needs, which creates a negative narrative around women. Circe breaks this narrative directly

Circe is shown as somebody who is scared and lost without guidance. Later in the passage, her home is described as having”blood [in] her chambers”, as well as “[a] flame was devouring all the magic herbs with which she used to bewitch strangers”. In quite literally the next sentence of the passage, Circe is described as an evil creature who brings harm to those who wander upon her island. The writer cleverly uses these opposing stereotypes to make it seem as though Circe is a favorable character, and the explorers should be safe at her island. The novel contradicts this narrative by allowing Circe’s character to be vulnerable with others, something that was unheard of at the time. In chapter eleven, Circe is conversing with Daedalus about the idea of him having a wife so he would not have to play the mother and father role for his son, Icarus. Circe is able to admit her flaws, saying that she would not have the time to commit to marriage considering her craft, admitting “witchcraft and invention have that in common (Miller 142). The text