The Feminist Filter: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Been a while, hasn't it? Between a new job and classes starting and my internet connection being wonky, I got behind. But now I'm not!
So let's do this. Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered!
Mission Statement:This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about ( Read more... )
So let's do this. Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered!
Mission Statement:This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about ( Read more... )
"Obviously, there are consent issues galore with this spell, most obviously demonstrated with Buffy and Willow overtly sexualizing themselves in response. How are these issues handled?"
I have very mixed feelings on how the issues in this episode are handled. On the one hand, I really appreciate the the overt way Xander's actions are condemned; specifically, I love how furious Giles is and how vocal he is in his condemnation; I also like Oz's anger, and I think it's really good that Willow is angry at, not forgiving of, Xander at the end of the episode. I also appreciate the subversion of the love spell trope in how it almost ends Xander's life. I think in the beginning and middle of the episode, the writers clearly frame Xander's actions as being disgusting and abhorrent.
However, the framing at the end of the episode is very questionable. I hate the way Buffy praises him for his "good behavior" and so quickly gets over the ordeal. Arguably ( ... )
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especially since her bodily control was completely violated when she was turned into a freaking rat.
Aww crap! I meant to add in a Bodily Violation for this episode but forgot!
Anyway, YES!
Interestingly, Diana is not the goddess of love. She's kind of the antithesis of (romantic) love, actually, because she was one of the virgin goddesses who was immune to love;
That's what I thought, but then I wondered if the writers knew something I didn't. Heh. :)
The myths about Artemis do portray her as becoming vengeful and hot-tempered very quickly, which fits with how the scorned women behave.
*nods*
Fantastic comment. :)
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She's kind of the antithesis of (romantic) love,
She was the goddess of the hunt, of the moon, of virgins. I think. Anyway, one of the stories about her is a man walking through the forest spied her bathing in a waterfall and when she caught him, she sent her hounds after him and they tore him apart. She was NOT the one to call for a love spell for a guy. She didn't have a lot of use for men in general except for her brother Apollo.
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one of the stories about her is a man walking through the forest spied her bathing in a waterfall and when she caught him
Yeah! That's the exact myth I was thinking of, Actaeon. There are a lot of echoes of Artemis's irrational wrath and the way Actaeon is hunted/killed by those who were loyal to him in this episode.
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