NARRATIVE SUBVERSION AND DECONSTRUCTION OF MYTH IN MADELINE MILLER'S NOVEL THE SONG OF ACHILLES

Authors

  • Natalie Gonchar-Khanjyan Yerevan State University
  • Martha Safaryan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46991/FLHE.2024.28.2.230

Keywords:

Achilles, Patroclus, interpretation, Trojan War, Madeline Miller

Abstract

This article examines the modern ‘’feminine’’ interpretation of a canonical plot, which originated in Homer’s epic, and has long been viewed as one of the most ‘’masculine’’ in literature. The aim of this article is to deal with the deconstruction of the myth of Achilles in contemporary literature, comparing and contrasting Homer’s Achilles with the image of the ancient hero according to contemporary female authors. The focus is particularly on the text of popular novelist Madeline Miller, which implicitly differs from the traditionally accepted purely masculine interpretation. The subject of the study is the modern concept of the well-known plot and image. The growing interest in new variations of canonical images, the search for and interpretation of intertextual convergences by writers, critics, and readers determines the topicality of this theme. Despite the engaging storyline and un¬deniable philological merits of the book, which are fully preserved in the Russian translation, as well as the abundance of brief reviews and internet dis¬cussions, Miller's novel is not presented in scientific discourse, which defines the novelty of this article, with a comparative method in its core.

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Published

2024-12-26

Issue

Section

Literary Criticism