To win one of five copies of Lucy Coats' YA novel Cleo, just answer the following question:
"Who is your favourite female character from ancient history or mythology - and why?"
Put your answers in the Comments section below and copy them to readers@maryhoffman.co.uk so that winners can be contacted.
Bonus: in addition to a book the very best answer will receive a stunning Cleo mug.
Closing date is 7th June. We are sorry but our competitions are open only to UK readers.
4 comments:
As a child I adored the mythology and the fairy stories, but so many of the women made me angry for not being able to stand up for themselves, but one who did was supposed to be a baddie, but I thought she had a raw deal. Medusa, had no choice how she looked and was a strong female in a mans world. I would have like hair that didn't need brushing (yes I had long hair as a small girl) and being able to make my own decisions, even if she was just a thing used to destroy hero's!
I know there are many other ones I could choose but Medusa still lurks in the back of my memory, hissing and turning things to stone. Mind you I should blame Ray Harryhausen for the image in my minds eye :-)
My historical role model is Khadijah, wife of the prophet Muhammad. As a young woman she was strong and independent, running a prosperous business at a time when baby girls were buried alive simply for their gender. After her marriage she had six children, however had to deal not only with the grief of losing both sons but society’s disdain for a woman who could produce only daughters (not dissimilar to the plight of poor Catherine of Aragon a millennium later). Yet she coped well and for years continued to manage a successful business alongside raising her family.
After the advent of Islam she showed amazing courage in standing up for her beliefs, defending them passionately through awful persecution and abuse.
A woman who refused to be defined by her spouse. A woman who never gave in, even when she was flogged and humiliated. A woman who stood up to the might of the Roman Empire and inspired men and women to follow her. And a woman who preferred death to the dishonour of capture. Boudica – who else?
What a difficult choice! I was fascinated by the Greek and Roman myths as a child (not having yet discovered Ancient Egypt) so for me it has to be Pallas Athena. A goddess of wisdom (so much better than mere knowledge), courage and justice, amongst other things, just had to be a role model. Then I discovered that one of her symbols was an owl, another of my interests and my heroine was chosen. Almost my first trip abroad was to visit Athens and pay her honour.
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