When I was in college I took a course in mythology taught by the amazing and sometimes harsh, but always wonderful Carolyn Hares-Stryker. We had a love/hate relationship although now that I'm not her student it seems to be a better relationship. One of my favorite sections of this year long course was her section on Victorian children's literature written by women. I loved this portion at the time and still do. I reread our textbook "Forbidden Journeys" quite frequently even though I always thought it sounded like a porn novel.
The problem is Carolyn Hares-Stryker ruined Victorian children's literature by women for me. Because I no longer read it as just a nice story. There's quite a bit hidden in those tales. The one that always stands out for me is "Speaking Likenesses" by Christina Rossetti.
It's the story of a little girl and her birthday. She goes on a wild amazing journey, but I think it's really quite dark. Instead of being a fantasy I think it's really the story of what it is like to grow up and become a woman in Victorian society. How much pressure there is and how much censure and how much it just sucks to be a woman. To be the meek, mild-mannered miss who must bear children and maintain a household.
I obviously did not follow this path, but others have. There's one illustration in general that always gets me and it is the picture above. Most critiques I have read about it say it is a man who is trying to take advantage of the little girl and that the black cat is a symbol of man's lust because it has a kitten in its mouth.
I cry foul! Or at least bull-pucky. The monster looks like a giant vagina. Am I the only one who sees this? And a male cat could care less about kittens. I think this is the big monster of womanhood out to get a little girl who is growing older. This giant vagina is out to say "Hey you're about to get cramps every month and a monthly friend as well as being able to bear children, which hurts and all sorts of other great presents because you're a woman."
I want to write about paper about this, but I need to do some more research first.
Do you have a childhood story that isn't really all fantasy and fairytales that sticks with you?
What do you think this monster represents?
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