Divinities and Female Heroism in Hellenistic Novels

Abstract

The article analyzes the influence of deities in the heroic representation of female main characters in the Hellenistic novels Leucipa and Clitophonte of Achiles of Tacio and Cariclea and Teagenes of Heliodorus. The analysis proposal identifies the main elements related to the influence of religion in the representation of the feminine heroines from a gender perspective. The help provided by the tutelary divinities for the young heroines allows them to face the moral and public tests in order to prove the protagonist’s character in the face of adversity. The objectification of the female body in the novels is presented through the virginity of the main character. The protagonist must preserve the values of chastity, fidelity, and obedience by maintaining a virtuous behavior in hostile and dangerous environments. The tutelary divinities such as Aprhodite, Artemis, Eros, Fortune, and Destiny help the young maidens to sustain the fundamental pillars of matrimony in the Hellenistic society of the ancient world