This week, something significant happens in UK Classics –
the conference run jointly by the CA (Classical Association) and FIEC (Fédération
internationale des associations d’études classiques) begins in
London. This is possibly – I haven’t checked but it’s quite likely – the biggest
classical conference that has ever taken place in the UK. My University,
Roehampton, is one of the hosts alongside other London colleges/universities. I
have been involved in organising a panel, on eros in antiquity and in receptions of antiquity. And I’m also
taking part in two events where I’ll present work on autism and classical myth.
One is a workshop where participants can drop by to find
out about various attempts at ‘diversifying public engagement’ to quote the
session’s title. I am currently getting ready for this session by preparing, above
all, multi-sensory aspects as this is something that, since my paper at CAMWS in April, I
have felt encouraged to develop. This will take place on Friday of this week.
Hercules: epitome of masculine strength? Jean Baptiste Borkens (1611-1675), The Apotheosis of Hercules |
Then, on Sunday, I take part in a panel along with Lisa
Maurice, Robin Diver and Sonya Nevin, all of whom I collaborate with for Our Mythical Childhood. Our topic is on
classical receptions for girls, and what I shall be doing is something that
might sound problematic. I shall be discussing an act of reception that I am
involved in, namely to create resources that adapt episodes involving Hercules for
autistic children, including autistic girls.
Why this is problematic potentially is as follows. Hercules
can be read as the least-likely figure for activities for girls. This is
something that I am struck by currently while writing my chapter for the forthcoming
Oxford Handbook of Heracles, edited by
Daniel Ogden, which is including an exploration into a pattern where, notably
in the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women,
the strength of the hero takes a sexual dimension when his force his used
against a series of women.
However – and this is a topic that I am expecting to come
up in the panel – when classical myth is adapted for children, the adapters
make particular interventions, for example to change a certain ending. Or they
are selective in what they pick from ancient sources and earlier receptions - by not picking an episode involving sexual violence for example, or by playing down
coercive aspects, or even by presenting a young woman as consenting to what
happens to her. This seems
notably the case where the abduction of Persephone is concerned, as Robin will
I think discuss.
I am going to be discussing activities for autistic girls –
so girls of an age which would make certain aspects of what Hercules does
especially inappropriate: inappropriate, that is, if Hercules is to be used in
any way as a motivating figure. However, what I am going to argue is that
Heracles has potential to speak to autistic people, any autistic people.
I’ll explain why soon – hopefully tomorrow… Watch this
space…
1 comment:
Do keep watching this space! I'm now hoping to get part 2 finished on *Wednesday*. The afternoon's blogging I'd planned turned into an afternoon of programme admin...
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