Societal changes and the different concerns of several eras have influenced the portrayal of Eurydice. It can be stated that through time, increasing importance is given to her: the adaptations...Show moreSocietal changes and the different concerns of several eras have influenced the portrayal of Eurydice. It can be stated that through time, increasing importance is given to her: the adaptations become increasingly feminist to suit modern-day concerns with regard to the position of women in society. For the reason that scholarship has focused predominately on the portrayal of Orpheus, the present study will explore the shift in focus from Orpheus to Eurydice by discussing Eurydice’s portrayal in a selection of literary works that covers the Middle Ages and the twentieth century. Eurydice’s subordinate position in adaptations written during the Middle Ages will be explained on the basis of the anonymous Sir Orfeo in combination with the ninth century adaptation of the myth by King Alfred found in his Old English translation of Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy. Eurydice’s portrayal in the feminist twentieth century will be discussed using Margaret Atwood’s Orpheus(1) and the poem Eurydice by Carol Ann Duffy. The reason for the decision to discuss adaptations from the Middle Ages and the twentieth century lies in the fact that the adaptations produced during these two eras are almost polar opposites when it comes to the portrayal of Eurydice. As a result, the shift from Orpheus to Eurydice is most evident when comparing works from these two eras.Show less
Recent fairy-tale film releases by Disney show that the company is attempting to retell the classical fairy-tale films from new perspectives, especially featuring stronger fairy-tale heroines. This...Show moreRecent fairy-tale film releases by Disney show that the company is attempting to retell the classical fairy-tale films from new perspectives, especially featuring stronger fairy-tale heroines. This change is the result of a cry for subversion after feminist writers discovered values of a strictly patriarchal society in fairy tales, and they therefore campaigned for the abolition of female passivity in Disney’s fairy-tale films. This thesis will examine the theme of female agency and villainy in Disney’s fairy-tale films. Comparing and contrasting the original Walt Disney Sleeping Beauty (1959) adaptation with the same studio’s most recent film version Maleficent (2014), this thesis argues that the two movies reveal an apparent shift in the way they explore and present female identity, from valuing passivity to celebrating agency, and closely related to this, a growing sympathy towards the figure of the morally ambiguous villain who appears to seek redemption through motherhood. The notion of moral ambiguity will be discussed in relation to the villainous female character, and the differences in the portrayal of their agency compared to the agency attributed to the heroine.Show less
