REWRITING THE CANON: FEMINIST SUBVERSIONS IN CONTEMPORARY RETELLINGS OF MYTH

Abstract

Rewriting the Canon: Feminist Subversions in Contemporary Retellings of Myth explores how modern writers, particularly women, are reimagining classical myths to challenge patriarchal narratives and reclaim silenced female voices. This paper examines a range of contemporary literary and cultural texts that subvert traditional mythological structures through feminist reinterpretation. These retellings often emphasize female agency, trauma, and resistance, offering alternative perspectives that disrupt canonical authority. By analyzing works across different cultural contexts, the study highlights how feminist myth-making functions as a form of literary activism that reshapes collective memory, critiques gender norms, and fosters empowerment. Through intertextual strategies, irony, and re-voicing of marginalized characters, these narratives open up new spaces for dialogue between the ancient and the modern, the mythical and the political.