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Faculty Sponsor

Sean Massey

Abstract

Mythology, such as Pandora’s Box, provides a strong ideological framework for how our society views certain issues, including femininity and female potential. However, the images presented in these stories are often artificially crafted with implicit biases that allegorize femininity within a pre-established masculine and patriarchal framework, whose core concepts remain persistent in contemporary culture. In this paper, I dissect contemporary English translations of the original Pandora myth by analyzing language patterns and examining their cultural and linguistic implications. Furthermore, I investigate the authorial rationale behind these lexical frameworks through the lens of contemporary hegemonic masculinity. I argue that the current usage of the Pandora myth institutionalizes harmful gender stereotypes, thereby reinforcing the masculine analytical framework as the cultural default. The narrative correlation between femininity, curiosity, and the unleashing of human suffering forms a powerful cognitive link, intrinsically tying femininity to catastrophe as a product of male fears of female dominance. These fears are not only represented in ancient lexical texts but also in modern studies of masculinity, illustrating how narrative presentations from antiquity continue to exert a powerful influence on contemporary societal structures. This research offers a unique historiographical and psychological perspective on gender studies, examining the profound impact of deeply embedded ancient gender biases on modern views of women within contemporary culture. I aim to deconstruct this culturally significant piece to foster a more nuanced conversation surrounding female agency across both time periods.

Citation Style

MLA

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