Mythology

Though not explicitly a theme, a major focus of Beard’s essays is mythology (both Latin and Greek), classical literature, and ancient history. As a Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, Beard is a trained scholar in these areas. She uses mythological narratives as a critical lens through which to analyze the circumstances of the present, namely, the cultural attitudes towards women in the public sphere. It is not just that the narratives from mythology still impact the way we view women, but also the language and symbols we use today have been perpetuated by myths that are used to characterize women. Her section in “The Public Voice of Women,” for example, illustrates how the ancient practices of rhetoric (the art of public speaking) are inextricable from the conventions of what is regarded as being masculine. Beard’s underlying point is that the sorts of things...