Arachne, which means spider in Greek, was a young gifted weaver from Athens, who bragged that she was better at weaving than the Goddess Athene. Athene became so angry she transformed the young woman into the insect we all know and love. Athene is the Greek Goddess of wisdom, weaving and embroidery. She is also a warrior Goddess.
Though the ancient Greeks were not that great on the issue of gender equality (but this again depended in which city-state you lived) they were wise enough to recognize that a woman could be the patron Goddess of things so antithetical such as books, war and the home.
Athene is probably the original Domestic Goddess -- and a warrior Goddess at that!
So how about manuals and advise books which tell us, women, that we should be domestic goddesses and that this is great? Is this liberating, or should we toss those manuals into the bin?
I say we have perfect freedom to be domestic goddesses and there is nothing wrong with it, provided we bear in mind three things. (a) This should be our choice, and not because we have to. (b) We must remember that there was never a romantic, golden age where the woman baked cookies, was deified and ruled the home: the woman was a prisoner in the home, and that's all there is to it. If you are not allowed, by law and/ or custom, to go to University and follow a profession, if as a married woman you are not allowed to own property and all your property belongs to your husband, then you are a prisoner. Finally, (c) we must keep in mind that the home is not solely our responsibility. Men (at least good men) care for their home too, and love to share.
Have a great mid-week, with beauty always with you! xxx
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