{"id":8498,"date":"2023-05-10T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T08:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/?p=8498"},"modified":"2023-05-10T11:55:20","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T11:55:20","slug":"staff-picks-pandoras-jar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/staff-picks-pandoras-jar\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff Picks: Pandora’s Jar"},"content":{"rendered":"

In July \u201822, Kaitlyn Greenberg introduced us<\/a> to Madeline Miller\u2019s<\/span> Circe, <\/span><\/i>as a great read for \u201canyone with an interest in mythology, a fondness for retellings of \u201cclassic\u201d stories, or fantasy.\u201d <\/span>I had never read any modern takes on the Classics (and have little experience with the primary source material either!), but my interest was piqued. Later on, I was sold by Audible\u2019s\u00a0description<\/a> of <\/span>Pandora\u2019s Jar<\/span><\/i>, by Natalie Haynes: \u201cIn <\/span>Pandora\u2019s Jar<\/span><\/i>, the broadcaster, writer, stand-up comedian, and passionate classicist turns the tables, putting the women of Greek myths on an equal footing with the men. With wit, humor, and savvy, Haynes revolutionizes our misunderstanding of epic poems, stories and plays, resurrecting them from a woman\u2019s perspective and tracing the origins of their mythic female characters.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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I listened to Haynes\u2019 reading of her book while walking around New York City, while doing chores in my house and while driving up to Vermont. She explained how different versions of Greek myths end up in popular culture from a posture of overwhelming fluency in the Classics. However, this level of mastery did not feel exclusive or hard to follow. I was grabbed by her continued focus on the positionality of the women in these stories. She encourages readers\/listeners not to accept the stories as they are told, uncovering the subtle differences in versions of events. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The book also encourages a deeper appreciation for the physical objects that tell these stories. Haynes talks about the nuances of different pieces of artwork that represent elements of myth. I have seen many relics at the Metropolitan Museum or Art, but had no context for the figures on each pot or oil jar. I was very interested in Haynes\u2019 reading of these pots and made a trip to the Met\u2019s collection to see them again with a new perspective. Coincidentally, I was recently gifted with a<\/span>\u00a0beautiful book<\/span><\/a> that discusses the Met\u2019s collection which also enhanced the experience of walking through the cases of artifacts. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of my favorite aspects of hearing Haynes reading her own book was the immediacy of inflection and tone. (For a taste of her sense of humor and mission of sharing the Classics, check out this clip<\/a> of Haynes \u201cstanding up for Sappho\u201d.)<\/span> There was a notable moment in <\/span>Pandora\u2019s Jar<\/span><\/i> where the format of audio book required extra clarification. As Haynes is describing the wifely virtues of Penelope, she must spell \u201cchaste, t-e” and \u201cchased, e-d”. She delivers this play on words with an ironic and dry tone that embedded itself into my memory. It seems that the audiobook had an ease of access that assisted my encounter with the stories of the Classics. (Check out these resources<\/a> for audiobooks!<\/span>) However, now that I have a taste for it, I\u2019ll be looking into more formats and perspectives. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M<\/span>ore new books on Classics at Rutgers:<\/span><\/h1>\n