The first and only comprehensive biographical dictionary devoted to mythological women.
Divinities, humans, female monsters and animals, hermaphrodites, and transsexuals are all here. Women of Classical Mythology offers unprecedented access to information on women largely neglected in reference works on Greek and Roman myth and gives a fresh look at the better-known figures. Each of the 2,600 entries places its subject both in the overall context of classical myth, and in the frame of reference of her better-known counterparts.
For each figure there is a description of her particular contribution to folklore, and a list of the various poems, tragedies, epics, and other types of stories in which she plays a central role. In addition, the handy special index, "The Men in Their Lives," allows readers to locate a particular woman known primarily through her relations. The female characters in classical mythology often provide clues to genealogical, chronological, and historical puzzles. This book will be welcomed by classical scholars for the insights and relationships it reveals.
Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Bell, a retired librarian formerly with the University of California, has gathered an impressive array of information on the female divinities, surnames, monsters, wives, animals, mothers, lovers, heroines, and villains of classical Greek and Roman mythology. The coverage is extensive, including both the obscure and well known. Entries are in dictionary format and range in length from a brief paragraph to several pages. The various myths are retold well in nontechnical language with occasional character insights. The book is quite browsable and could easily spark deeper interest. A name index, called ``The Men in Their Lives,'' will lead from the better-known male character to his less recognizable female acolyte. The restriction to only women of mythology, however, limits the usefulness of the work. A better source for general use is Edward Tripp's Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology ( LJ 12/1/70). For subject collections or academic libraries.-- Marianne Cawley, Kingwood Branch Lib., Tex. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
CHOICE Review
With the current focus on women in the field of classical studies this biographical dictionary is a timely piece of work. Bell's dictionary follows a simple alphabetic arrangement that makes it much easier to consult than his Dictionary of Classical Mythology (CH, Dec'82), which was arranged by subject. The new dictionary contains the names of both notable and not so notable women of classical myth who are not easily found in other convenient sources on myth such as Pierre Grimal's The Dictionary of Classical Mythology (1986) or The New Century Handbook of Greek Mythology and Legend (CH, Oct'72). Bell's dictionary is not for the scholar but for the interested student who needs a ready reference source. The biographical entries, ranging from a single sentence to three pages in length, are easily understood and provide sufficient information for further study. An additional and original feature of this dictionary is selective citation, following each entry, of classical authors by whom each of these female figures have been mentioned. The dictionary also contains an alphabetical list of masculine names titled "The Men in Their Lives." Recommended for most public and undergraduate libraries.-J. C. Jurgens, Northeastern Illinois University
Booklist Review
The 2,600 women in this dictionary include mortal, immortal, and divine beings, monsters, animals, hermaphrodites, and transsexuals. They are arranged alphabetically by the most standard name and spelling. The author uses the Loeb Classical Library and his own Dictionary of Classical Mythology and Place Names in Classical Mythology: Greece as the standards. Each entry includes variations in spellings; cross-references to related entries are in upper-case letters. The author includes a synopsis of the woman's story where possible, or of the men to whom she is related (some women have only the barest mention in classical literature). The entries of well-known women, like Athena and Helen, are more than four pages in length, but most women get only a paragraph or so and some get only a sentence. Where several women share a name, each entry is numbered. Citations to ancient writers who mentioned the woman appear at the end of an entry rather than a bibliography. An index to "The Men in Their Lives" is provided at the back of the book. Here the reader can find, for instance, a list of all the women associated with Apollo. The author is able to delineate history from legend and legend from myth. He is sensitive to the political and social position of women in the classical world. He editorializes with a light pen or humorous turn of phrase: "out swarmed all the calamities of mankind--from tidal waves to premature balding" (Pandora). Often the stories are convoluted because of their many sources in oral tradition and conflicting names. The author does an admirable job of keeping them straight. Because there is little written on women in classical literature, this will be a useful addition to the reference collection in academic and large public libraries. The more obscure names included here that aren't found in standard dictionaries of mythology make it especially helpful. Those who prepare questions or teams for academic competitions will also find this a great resource. (Reviewed Nov. 15, 1991)
Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics
Robert E. Bell was formerly coordinator of Humanities Collection Development at the Shields Library at the University of California Davis, Davis, CA.
