The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman

Morrison’s portrayals of the elderly woman resonate with images of the wise mythical Crone, a universal image embedded in our consciousness. In pre-patriarchal societies, elder women, Crones, were associated with both life and death. The advent of patriarchy changed how aging females were...

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Main Author: Manuela López-Ramírez
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad de Alicante 2022-07-01
Series:Feminismo/s
Online Access:https://feminismos.ua.es/article/view/21415
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author Manuela López-Ramírez
author_facet Manuela López-Ramírez
author_sort Manuela López-Ramírez
collection DOAJ
description Morrison’s portrayals of the elderly woman resonate with images of the wise mythical Crone, a universal image embedded in our consciousness. In pre-patriarchal societies, elder women, Crones, were associated with both life and death. The advent of patriarchy changed how aging females were perceived and their societal roles. They were diabolized, disempowered, and regarded as useless and invisible. However, Morrison’s Crones are strong life forces, and an active valuable part of their communities. Morrison revalues their traditional maternal domestic roles, and motherhood and household become, respectively, a transgressive act and a site of resistance and power. With their ancestral spiritual/supernatural/healing properties, her Crones are ancestor figures and moral beacons for their communities. In her oeuvre, Morrison reassesses and reclaims the primordial pre-patriarchal crone archetype to empower and honor old black women and their contributions to the black community.
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spelling doaj.art-a8d0bba91f3f4f83a4af034b9cede0492022-12-22T01:53:17ZspaUniversidad de AlicanteFeminismo/s1989-99982022-07-014010110.14198/fem.2022.40.05The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder WomanManuela López-Ramírezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5503-8290 Morrison’s portrayals of the elderly woman resonate with images of the wise mythical Crone, a universal image embedded in our consciousness. In pre-patriarchal societies, elder women, Crones, were associated with both life and death. The advent of patriarchy changed how aging females were perceived and their societal roles. They were diabolized, disempowered, and regarded as useless and invisible. However, Morrison’s Crones are strong life forces, and an active valuable part of their communities. Morrison revalues their traditional maternal domestic roles, and motherhood and household become, respectively, a transgressive act and a site of resistance and power. With their ancestral spiritual/supernatural/healing properties, her Crones are ancestor figures and moral beacons for their communities. In her oeuvre, Morrison reassesses and reclaims the primordial pre-patriarchal crone archetype to empower and honor old black women and their contributions to the black community.https://feminismos.ua.es/article/view/21415
spellingShingle Manuela López-Ramírez
The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
Feminismo/s
title The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
title_full The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
title_fullStr The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
title_full_unstemmed The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
title_short The Primal Archetypal and Mythical Crone in Toni Morrison’s Portrayals of the Elder Woman
title_sort primal archetypal and mythical crone in toni morrison s portrayals of the elder woman
url https://feminismos.ua.es/article/view/21415
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