Rewriting the Rape Victims: Feminist Approaches to Akalikai and Medusa

Abstract

Differences based on Gender and Sex are always a confusing component in a patriarchal society. The cultural practices and the patriarchal beliefs project both as the same. To make constructed information or an idea into an accepted fact, the patriarchal society transforms such information or an idea into truth through repeated practices, cultural resources, and literary texts. Unimaginably, the epics are also used by patriarchal societies to spread those beliefs as truth. Given that, rape, sexual assault, is projected/ practised by the patriarchal society as a punishment on women to control, to avenge, and to bring them to their senses. The paper aims to read the women characters Akalikai and Medusa from the epics and the evolution of those characters in the rewritings to highlight the transformation of perspective. The paper’s hypothesis is also to record the voices given to those voiceless women characters from the feminist point of view.