Transforming Psyche

This text explores the myth of Psyche, interweaving research from diverse disciplines such as feminist and educational theories, mythology, literature, psychology, and cultural anthropology. It offers a critical reinterpretation of the myth, highlighting the way it overtly portrays female experience in a patriarchal context while covertly affirming all aspects of female life. The book shows that the myth of Psyche and Eros can be interpreted to illuminate the experiences of 20th-century women. In contrast to the portrayal of Psyche as indecisive and amorphous, the author emphasizes those aspects of the tale that describe Psyche's connectedness - to her sisters, her own sexuality, her earth-bound experience and, ultimately, to the birthing of her child. Using the works of such writers as Emily Carr, Margaret Laurence, Gertrude Stein and Virginia Woolf, Huber demonstrates that feminist theory and women's autobiography mirror the insights uncovered in her retelling of the Psyche story.