Tuesday 18th June, 6.30pm
The Drill Hall, Chepstow
Tickets free
Natalie Haynes, author of the bestselling Pandora’s Jar, returns to the world of Greek myth discussing her new book "Divine Might."
We meet Athene, who sprang fully formed from her father’s head: goddess of war and wisdom, guardian of Athens. We run with Artemis, goddess of hunting and protector of young girls (apart from those she decides she wants as a sacrifice). Here is Aphrodite, goddess of sex and desire – there is no deity more determined and able to make you miserable if you annoy her. And then there’s the queen of all the Olympian gods: Hera, Zeus’s long-suffering wife, whose jealousy of his dalliances with mortals, nymphs and goddesses lead her to wreak elaborate, vicious revenge on those who have wronged her.
We also meet Demeter, goddess of agriculture and mother of the kidnapped Persephone, we sing the immortal song of the Muses and we warm ourselves with Hestia, goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire. The Furies carry flames of another kind – black fires of vengeance for those who incur their wrath.
These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within?
NATALIE HAYNES is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of novels THE AMBER FURY, shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize; THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; A THOUSAND SHIPS (shortlisted for the Women’s Prize), a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective and STONE BLIND a re-telling of the Medusa story (long listed for the Women’s Prize); and non-fiction books THE ANCIENT GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE and PANDORA’S JAR about the women in Greek myths. She has written and presented eight series of the BBC Radio 4 show, NATALIES HAYNES STANDS UP FOR THE CLASSICS. In 2015, she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.
Selected Praise for PANDORA’S JAR
'Hugely enjoyable and witty' - Guardian
'Haynes is a brilliant classicist as well as a stand-up comedian and with her latest offering, Pandora's Jar, she has effectively written the first textbook codifying this new feminist take on the Greek myths.' - Neil Mackay, Herald
‘Haynes…puts the women of Greek myths on equal footing with the menfolk in an exploration of their stories, motivations and myths. Written in Haynes’ immediately gripping and readable style, we get the stories of Medea – a seriously powerful girl – who ends up betrayed by Jason as well as deep dive into the stories of The Amazons, Penelope and Phaedra to name a few. Both fascinating and incredibly researched if you want to catch up on your Greek myths, this is the place to start.’ - Stylist
‘Beyoncé, Star Trek, Ray Harryhausen ... the most enjoyable book about Greek myths you will ever read, absolutely brimming with subversive enthusiasm.’ - Mark Haddon
‘Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant. Pandora’s Jar is a treasure box of classical delights. Never has ancient misogyny been presented with so much wit and style.’ - Amanda Foreman
‘Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of... but read on!’ - Margaret Atwood
Selected Praise for STONE BLIND
'Witty, gripping, ruthless' – Margaret Atwood via Twitter
'Beautiful and moving' – Neil Gaiman
‘A fierce feminist exploration of female rage, written with wit and empathy’ Glamour
‘Haynes’ clever, empathetic writing transforms Medusa from Gorgon into a girl, who’s a victim of the cruel machinations of the gods and of circumstance.’ Red
‘brilliant and compellingly readable.’ Observer
‘feminist, funny and thought provoking.’ Mail on Sunday
‘Stone Blind is inventive and playful. There is a debt to Aristophanes; the depiction of the absurdities of the bickering gods is very funny’ Times