This thesis uses archetypal theory as explained by Carol Pearson in The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By to illustrate the heroic journey undertaken by the protagonist in Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem "Renascence." Feminist archetypal theory is a useful lens for gaining the reader access to the underlying paradigms of struggle experienced by the female literary character because it exposes the parallels that exist in separate female experiences. By applying Pearson's theory to Millay's work, readers are able to elucidate more clearly the methods used by the poet to create commonality and continuity with her female audience. Throughout the poem, the protagonist hero recursively circles through the Innocent, Orphan, Martyr, Wanderer, Warrior, and Magician phases. This essay utilizes a close reading strategy to illustrate its argument and provide evidence to its conclusions.

This thesis analyzes the process of women&rsquo / s mythmaking in the plays written by female playwrights. Through writing the lives of female writers and rewriting the literary characters, which have been created by male writers, the women playwrights assume the role of a mythmaker. A mythmaker possesses the power to use the &lsquo / word,&rsquo / thereby possesses the power to control &lsquo / reality.&rsquo / However, for centuries, women have been debarred from generating their own myths, naming their own experiences, and controlling their own &lsquo / realities.&rsquo / Male mythmakers prescribed the roles women were required to perform within the society. Feminist archetypal theorists believe that through a close study of related patterns in women&rsquo / s writing, common grounds, and experiences, the archetypes shared by women will be disclosed. Unveiling these archetypes will eventually lead to the establishment of new myths around these archetypes. As myths are regarded as the source of collective experiences, analyzing how women have rewritten, revised, devised, and originated myths would thus permit women to reclaim the power to name, and hence to influence the so-called reality established by the patriarchy. Hence, this study analyzes the constantly developing process of women&rsquo / s mythmaking/mythbreaking in Liz Lochhead&rsquo / s Blood and Ice, Rose Leiman Goldemberg&rsquo / s Letters Home, Bilgesu Erenus&rsquo / Halide, Timberlake Wertenbaker&rsquo / s The Love of the Nightingale, Bryony Lavery&rsquo / s Ophelia, and Zeynep Avci&rsquo / s Gilgamesh. These playwrights try to depose the stereotypical images attributed to women by male mythmakers.

This thesis uses archetypal theory as explained by Carol Pearson in The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By to illustrate the heroic journey undertaken by the protagonist in Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem "Renascence." Feminist archetypal theory is a useful lens for gaining the reader access to the underlying paradigms of struggle experienced by the female literary character because it exposes the parallels that exist in separate female experiences. By applying Pearson's theory to Millay's work, readers are able to elucidate more clearly the methods used by the poet to create commonality and continuity with her female audience. Throughout the poem, the protagonist hero recursively circles through the Innocent, Orphan, Martyr, Wanderer, Warrior, and Magician phases. This essay utilizes a close reading strategy to illustrate its argument and provide evidence to its conclusions.

Myths have been an undeniable source in both shaping and expressing the values, norms and behavioural patterns in societies. However, the archetypes in these myths have helped to oppress women in their personal and social lives and have forced them to accept identities which actually are not theirs. Feminist archetypal theorists propose that through a detailed study of common images of women&rsquo / s writings, fantasies, dreams and myths, the archetypes that women possess will be uncovered and the female experience will have the chance to be voiced more accurately. The aim of this thesis is to explore Surfacing and The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and Indigo and The Leto Bundle by Marina Warner to lay bare the attempts of both writers to break away from the male-oriented myths so as to rewrite female experience via rewriting myths. In four novels, the archetypes and mythical elements are used in rewriting the gender and sexual identity markers which have long been imposed on women by patriarchal mythmakers. By rewriting these markers, both writers not only voice the genuine female experience and the body but also pave the way for the creation of new myths which would celebrate female identity and freedom.