Women in Power

Classical stories about women who wield power,from the Amazons to Dido to Cleopatra A Penguin Classic There is no other anthology that brings together similar stories of ancient women in power. These women threaten male power by stepping into the roles traditionally held by men. They command armiesexercise sexual autonomy and even dominancespeak in publicissue lawsand subject others (even masculine heroes and citizen men) to their control. All of these stories were written by menand none of them can be read as affirmations or celebrations of women in power. They are instead misogynistic tales that aim to shore up masculine authority by exposing the consequences when women rather than men wield it. The sexist attitudes voiced in these stories continue to justify womenΓÇÖs exclusion from power in our contemporary world. Yet despite the fear and suspicion the male authors direct toward these womenwe can find much to admire in their talesfrom the coordinated action of the women of AristophanesΓÇÖs Assemblywomento DidoΓÇÖs questioning of the male value system that leads Aeneas to abandon herto the righteous anger of Boudicca against sexual violence by men in powerto the successful resistance of Amanirenas against RomeΓÇÖs colonial expansion. Read differentlythese tales testify to the long history of women in power and help us forge new paths for female empowerment.