Antigone e le altre. Figure mitiche al femminile nei saggi di Margarete Susman

Abstract

In Margarete Susman’s theoretical and political essays and studies, classical and mythological figures such as Antigone, Pythia, Diotima and Undine become symbols for women’s situation as well as the broader cultural, political and social sphere. The connection between these mythological themes and the intimate, spiritual and intellectual evolution of the author herself signals the originality of her work in women’s studies in general, in women’s literature theory and in mythological studies. This article aims to illustrate the symbolic reading of female mythical figures in Margarete Susman’s writings, also focusing on the connection between mythos and the cultural importance of the maternal function. The icons of the feminine are also objects of Margarete Susman’s writing, addressing questions about the connection of religious attitudes and socio-cultural determined thought.