Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood

ABSTRACTPoetry is a literary form where the poet expresses himself or herself through the representations they have carved. It defines a literary expression where the beliefs and perceptions get represented using mythical aspects to enhance cultural meanings. Margaret Atwood is well-known for using...

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Main Authors: A.N. Sreelakshmi, Susan Sanny
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2022-07-01
Series:Comparative Literature: East & West
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25723618.2022.2158559
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author A.N. Sreelakshmi
Susan Sanny
author_facet A.N. Sreelakshmi
Susan Sanny
author_sort A.N. Sreelakshmi
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACTPoetry is a literary form where the poet expresses himself or herself through the representations they have carved. It defines a literary expression where the beliefs and perceptions get represented using mythical aspects to enhance cultural meanings. Margaret Atwood is well-known for using mythical female characters in her poems by placing them in the contemporary sphere. As Guerin once remarked, a tribe or a country might come together through mythology to engage in shared psychological and spiritual pursuits. The female characters which Atwood brings into her poems are metaphors representing the socio-political and cultural state of the modern era in which females are placed now in the present times. In her poem, “Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing,” Atwood brings in the historical figure of the famous Helen of Troy, who is well known in the literary domain for her beauty which formed the basis for the Trojan War. The paper argues how the aspect of revisiting myth in the poem trounces objectification by using the notion of female resistance.
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spelling doaj.art-1a18ba425b1d4dd1a27b6f84f2be46d22023-01-08T04:21:22ZengTaylor & Francis GroupComparative Literature: East & West2572-36182022-07-016223624910.1080/25723618.2022.2158559Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret AtwoodA.N. Sreelakshmi0Susan Sanny1Department of English PG, Kristu Jayanti College (autonomous), Bengaluru, KarnatakaDepartment of English PG, Kristu Jayanti College (autonomous), Bengaluru, KarnatakaABSTRACTPoetry is a literary form where the poet expresses himself or herself through the representations they have carved. It defines a literary expression where the beliefs and perceptions get represented using mythical aspects to enhance cultural meanings. Margaret Atwood is well-known for using mythical female characters in her poems by placing them in the contemporary sphere. As Guerin once remarked, a tribe or a country might come together through mythology to engage in shared psychological and spiritual pursuits. The female characters which Atwood brings into her poems are metaphors representing the socio-political and cultural state of the modern era in which females are placed now in the present times. In her poem, “Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing,” Atwood brings in the historical figure of the famous Helen of Troy, who is well known in the literary domain for her beauty which formed the basis for the Trojan War. The paper argues how the aspect of revisiting myth in the poem trounces objectification by using the notion of female resistance.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25723618.2022.2158559Revisiting MythologyHistoryCyborgPatriarchyFemale resistanceObjectification
spellingShingle A.N. Sreelakshmi
Susan Sanny
Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
Comparative Literature: East & West
Revisiting Mythology
History
Cyborg
Patriarchy
Female resistance
Objectification
title Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
title_full Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
title_fullStr Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
title_short Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood
title_sort revisiting myth in the sphere of gendered objectification an analysis of the poem helen of troy does countertop dancing by margaret atwood
topic Revisiting Mythology
History
Cyborg
Patriarchy
Female resistance
Objectification
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25723618.2022.2158559
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