The Golden Rain, Danae and the Invisible Rapes
Abstract
Considering the concept rape culture coined by feminists in the 1970’s, this paper provides three analytical frameworks. They include: superhuman genital raids against mortal and immortal women as a common topic in ancient mythology; the role of Hyginus’s Fables in Roman society (1st century BC - 1st century AD) and in current Italian high schools; an overview, trough academic research, about strategies of the representation of Danae from classical to contemporary western art. The tale of young maiden impregnated by the king of the Gods in form of a golden shower hints, among others, or at a most erotic spectacular relationship or at a divine miracle or an illicit act. Unravelling some of these strands maybe helps us to understand the patterns of the ancient myths toward sexualized violence and decipher the underlying educational ideology that, not only in the past, had governed works of didactic-literature and artistic activities.
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