Women Who Fly: Goddesses, Witches, Mystics, & other Airborne Females

Description

In Women Who Fly, Serinity Young examines the motif of the flying woman as it appears in a wide variety of cultures and historical periods. Expressed in legends, myths, rituals, sacred narratives, and artistic productions. From the beautiful apsaras of Hindu myth to the swan maidens of European fairy tales. Tales of flying women – some carried by wings, others by rainbows, floating scarves, or flying horses – reveal both fascination with and ambivalence about female power and sexuality. Supernatural women like Valkyries of Norse legend, who transport men to immortality. Winged deities like the Greek goddesses Iris and Nike. Figures of terror like the Furies, witches, and succubi, airborne Christian mystics, and wayward women like Lilith and Morgan le Fay.

Tracing the inextricable link between female power and sexuality and the male desire to control it. his is most vividly portrayed in the 12th century Niebelungenlied. The proud warrior-queen Brünnhilde loses her great physical strength when trickery induces her to give up her virginity. Centuries earlier, Euripides’ play Medea shows the same theme. Enraged by her husband’s intention to marry a younger woman. She uses her divine powers in revenge, wreaking chaos and destruction around her. It is a theme that remains tangible even in the 20th century exploits of the comic book character Wonder Woman. She retains her physical strength only because her love for fellow aviator Steve Trevor goes unrequited.

The first book to systematically chronicle the figure of the flying woman in myth, literature, art, and pop culture. Women Who Fly offers an exciting, fresh look at the ways women have influenced society and religious traditions around the world and how society and religious traditions have understood them.

Oxford University Press ✢ Hardcover