Inner Mermaids, Greek Myths, and a Voice

The Little Mermaid’s link to Greek mythology.

One Rune

Lately I’ve been pondering the similarities between the Little Mermaid and the Greek Lara.

 

“Lara, (also known as Larunda, Larunde and Mater Larum) was a naiad or a nymph and was the daughter of the river Almo.  She was incapable of keeping secrets, and so revealed to Jupiter‘s wife Juno his affair with Juturna (Lara’s fellow nymph, and the wife of Janus); hence Her name is connected with lalein. For betraying his trust, Jupiter cut out Lara’s tongue and ordered Mercury, the psychopomp, to take Her to Avernus, the gateway to the Underworld and realm of Pluto. Mercury, however, fell in love with Larunda and made love to Her on the way; this act has also been interpreted as a rape. Lara thereby became mother to two children, referred to as the Lares, invisible household gods, who were as silent and speechless as She…

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Once Upon a Time 2×14 “Manhattan”

I may be the only one, but…I am disappoint.  SPOILERS:

 

1. As soon as you reveal Neil as Baelfire, than all the other relationships and interactions become Extremely Predictable.  I am not in this for extremely predictable things.

2. They have yet to even TRY to explain how the hell he’s still just that age.  No one is allowed to talk about time differences at this point: time froze for 28 years in Storybrooke and FairyTale Land, when Emma and Snow went through the portal time was parallel, there were even exact hour arrangements for people meeting in dreamland proving that time moves the same in both worlds.  Aside from all that, Baelfire would have been out growing older with Emma for those 28 years everyone else was froze, so by now he should technically be almost as old as Rumpelstiltskin at the very least.  They’re not even trying.  This bothers me enormously.

3. I honestly thought that after all those years Rumpelstiltskin would have had a better pitch.  I find it rather ridiculous and out of character that he did not.

4. Hook is now officially reduced the the 10-year-old brat living inside him.  He sounds exactly like a kid in a long car trip about finding Rumpel to “get his revenge”.  Besides, he already DID get the ultimate revenge with Belle already, so just *sigh*.  I kindof hope he’s dead, just because he got that level of irritating and I don’t care to see him trying to redeem himself in any way.  Or find out what other bad lines the writers have in store for him.

5. The Seer said Rumpelstiltskin’s actions “on the battlefield” would leave his son fatherless.  From what I saw, Rumplestiltskin never made it to the battlefield.  I suppose you could generally call “the front” where they’re camping a field, but…unless there’s actually been a battle there sometime that’s not the battlefield.  The Seer lied.

6. If the Seer had just given Rumple all her foresight than how could she give him that one last insight out of gratitude?  Perhaps she remembered…but then why the drama with the hand still?  Just habit or what?  Didn’t quite add up.

7. Saying that the young boy will be Rumplestiltskin’s “undoing” just tells me that Henry will be the instrument of making him not the Dark One.  Furthermore, Cora’s storyline is bringing Henry fully into Gold’s fate, no matter what he does.  So…really there’s two ways to look at that-either it’s not new information because we already know how Cora’s using him, or it’s too much information that will make other things as Extremely Predictable as this episode.  Neither is something I’m happy with.

8. Yes, the acting was good.  I am criticizing the storyline and the plot, not the actors.

Once Upon a Time 2×13 “Tiny”

Right, this episode sent us right back down into crumbling plots with crumbs that deserve picking territory.  This was for the SPOILER-FULL crumb -picking!

 

1. See, NEWCOMERS SHOULD BE THROWN OFF BY CARS.  How did Hook bypass this?  Cars should be even more dangerous to him since they are more threatening to human-sized folk!

2. Emma is really not doing her job-she knew that was coming.  She could have helped Gold roll up yon scarf and stick it in his pants pocket, or tie it round like a bad belt, or at least warned him about this.  That being said, Gold’s reaction to his scarf/magic problems are perfect and the very best things about this episode.

3. Seriously, people are just letting Hook wander around, leading them places?  You know if Cora really WAS on that ship she’d be waiting with the mother of all booby traps, and Hook would probably know it-you keep him in cuffs or something.  Also, you guys didn’t even pat him down to find out if he had anything useful like, ya know, giant-cage keys on him? You two really do need Emma and her half-ass sheriffing skills.  And you DEFINITELY don’t let him just waltz off to be unmonitored, allowing him to rendezvous with Cora messengers and whatever the hell else.

4.I know I complain about this every time, but…You don’t get to hit on people when you’re justifying your rampages on revenging losing your true love!  Somebody choke him or punch him in the face or something-rib aches are really unsatisfactory-you never actually see it and it just gives him an excuse to make annoying grunting noises while nonsensically smarming around.  For the love of God, just stop it.

5. On this Jacquelyn, there are several points: 1. Hook said “he” when speaking of Jack the Giant Killer and obviously there wasn’t enough time for the story to get warped and misremembered by the time he would have heard it. 2. Did Hook hear it from Cora, or what?  He was in Neverland before that happened!  And Cora would know, but she doesn’t seem like much of a storyteller.  Also, she definitely would have kept in the part about the villain being a woman.  It makes no sense. 3. So now we’re supposed to believe Jacqueline has the stupidity to have her sword engraved with the word “Jack”?  Just no.  4. Tiny told Emma the story of the slaughter-and he pointed to Jacqueline as the big bad, not James.  You’d think he would have mentioned it-he had nothing to do but sit there and babble at her, after all.  Mention all the bad guys you can, guy.  That’s just purposeful obscurity for the show that the character would never actually do, and that is my pet peeve.  Bah!  5. And how did she travel to and from Wonderland?  This is important.  Also, it provides more evidence that Cora would have known about her as a woman and would have no reason to mislead Hook.

6. So, how did Hook escape from Tiny after Emma left, now?  He mentioned something about getting past the stupid giant-we think he let him live?  That’s out of character and not the implication I got from that.

7. On the plus side, the poison on the swords thing does explain why Tiny can’t really clean up the skeleton on his floor or move the sharp sword out of the way.

8. No one tried to call Emma on their cell phone so she could talk Tiny down?  You guys aren’t the ones new to modern technology, at least try these things.

9. If James stole all that treasure to pay back King Midas, how come he was still supposed to kill the beast?  Does he have a gambling problem?  Or King George?

10. Man, Charming’s hands must have killer rope-burns.

11.  It’s now just official that Belle must just remember nothing other than stereotypes about Maine life, not even her time in the asylum.  This makes me very upset, but I’ll be more upset if I keep trying to make it match up and make sense, since that does not appear to be happening, ever.  I shall endeavor to let that go.  For her scene in this episode, however, the lack of continuity made me so ticked off that I can’t even think about anything that’s happening with her and stranger dude.  You know it’s bad when Ruby can’t save a scene.  *le sigh*

Here’s to a Gold-focused episode next week!

“Witch Eyes”

A poem based on Hansel and Gretel:

 

“Witch Eyes”

 

Limbs lock round, tangling tight,

to choke sky’s rays and coerce fright.

The ground scuffs feet, its roots rise,

but most dangerous here is those watching eyes.

 

They measure you, weigh you, imagine you, own you-

And all I can do is look back or away.

See you, scorn you, devour you, stone you,

I’m still turning, trying steps to find my way.

 

But the woods are knit tight and the witch is stronger, still.

The only steps that hold me are those that match her will.

Her world is mixed and heated like a cake-

I’m just an ingredient to melt down as I bake.

 

Her eyes add you, beat you, stir you, bend you,

But my head is ringing with dreams, Pandora’s box.

Her eyes strain you, boil you, drain you, end you,

But my heart is pulsing; My will unlocks.

 

Blood burns hot, but now the woods part.

Eyes can’t watch from a baked and burnt heart.

Fears and captured nightmares lie dead.

It’s life that is sweet-she made just a crust of bread.

Rapunzel’s Roots (Fulla)

Lately I’ve felt drawn to contemplate Fulla.  (“Fulla, whose name means ‘Fullness,” “Bounty” or “Plenty.” Fulla is most often described as a handmaiden, possibly sister of the Goddess Frigga. According to the Edda, as Frigga’s Handmaiden, Fulla is entrusted with carrying her casket, looking after Her shoes, and being privy to Her secrets….Fulla might have been viewed as a Goddess of abundance, wealth, prosperity, harvest, and maybe even household management.the gold band Fulla wears round her forehead symbolizes nobility and Her unbound hair indicates Her unmarried status. (Karlsdottir, p. 133). She also speculates that like Sif, Fulla’s long and flowing hair can be viewed as being symbolic of the ripening grain, which would tie nicely into Her role as Habondia, Goddess of the earth’s bounty.”  From: http://krasskova.weebly.com/1/post/2010/11/decembers-deity-of-the-month-fulla-keeper-of-friggas-treasures.html)

 

The more I think about this quiet goddess, the more she seems to be the matriarchal, powerful version of Rapunzel, before patriarchy decided she needed a prince to save her:

-Firstly, both ladies are recognizable by their long, flowing hair.  This is not as superficial as it might sound as in both cases this hair is a link to the earth, to welcome (through bringing people inside the tower or through working together to bring in the harvest and/or sharing the plenty you have), and to abundant growth.   The difference is that Fulla’s abundance feels free and natural, and belongs wholly to herself, whereas Rapunzel is depicted as needing her plentiful hair for protection and escape, as a conduit to external power.  The symbol’s basically the same, the difference is that one lady is powerful and the other is victimized.

 

-Secondly, both Fulla and Rapunzel are linked to the earth-Fulla through portraying wheat and nature’s bounty, and Rapunzel through her mother’s need for rampion plants.  Even in this backstory, Fulla brings out the positive and best in nature, symbolizing control and Rapunzel’s life is worsened and controlled by her link to nature.  Yet, both ladies symbolize the fruits of a harvest, their beauty reflects the generous and good parts of nature, and they remind us that all life should be connected to the earth.  One lady is simply denied her authority and agency in portraying this legacy.

 

-Thirdly, Fulla’s duties center around the space and belongings of her sister Frigga.  Her duties to guard Frigga’s casket and slippers would dictate that Fulla spend much of her time in Frigga’s apartments.  This echoes the relationship of Rapunzel and the witch: she must stay inside a space belonging to the more powerful woman, who has at least an adopted family kinship with the long-haired maiden.  Once again, the similarities are striking but the role of power is completely switched.  Fulla’s position as right-hand lady to Frigga granted her great power and knowledge.  Fulla’s ability to keep secrets and be trusted with important messages is a testament to the wealth of reliance and ability attributed to this goddess.  Most importantly, Fulla keeps by her sister’s things in order to protect them, to support her sister in her power and therefore claim recognition for being partly the source of the abilities of the mistress of Asgard.  It is Fulla in the proactive role, using her agency, and creating even the power technically outside of her and belonging to her sister.

Rapunzel, on the other hand, is shown to be kept within the witch’s confines for her own protection, rather than in order to protect her tower.  Even the versions that show the witch as gaining power from Rapunzel in some form deny Rapunzel agency or power in that dynamic.  So long as the witch is there, Rapunzel cannot have power-she needs to overthrow this other woman.  In Asgard, women knew how to work together to share and build power.  Rapunzel’s story undermines this by denying non-absolute views of authority-it must be oppressor and oppressed.  Moreover, the ability of the maiden to offer protection and plenty is completely reversed.  Rapunzel’s tower has become a symbol of denial, rather than a bastion symbolizing her strength and guarding ability.

 

-Fourthly and most basically, Fulla the maiden goddess owns her own golden band of nobility.  She needs no prince to ennoble or enrich her, just as she needs no prince to rescue or act for her.  Just because this archetype has been carried off and subjected to male dominance does not mean we need to forget her calm power, reassuring protection, or empowering support.

(Crossposted on http://onerunetofindthem.wordpress.com/)

Happy Facts for a February Friday

1. Studies show that a large percentage of people won’t use self-checkout stations in libraries because they are afraid that if they do a librarian will lose their job and they care about it that much.

2. There are universities who respond to snow days by providing students with buckets to loan: “For playing in the snow.”

3. Panera’s is beginning to open not-for-profit branches where food is purchased by donation so their food can be enjoyed by those in financial straits.  http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/01/24/panera-cares-pulls-high-donations/e9yyeEIg7VQi2Ip8MdN7aL/story.html

 

Happy Hopeful Friday to all!

Bones Belonged to Richard III

Scholars Say Bones Belonged to Richard III – NYTimes.com.

 

IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED: THE LAST OF THE STUART KINGS HAS BEEN FOUND.  *tosses white roses*

 

 

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

To be honest, I went into this film with very low expectations.  I came out wonderfully surprised and pleased.  Spoiler-free reasons below:

First and foremost, I expected: the Grimm fairytale to just be a background point to thrust Hansel and Gretel into crazy situations and violence.  I didn’t even entirely expect to see a representation of the Grimm tale.

What happened: This portrayal of the fairytale  attained the feeling of true nightmare in a few simple, brutal strokes.  It truly lives up to the Grimm brothers.  Additionally, the candy house is beautifully designed and more interesting than the more fluffy, familiar versions I’ve seen.  Moreover, the backstory to their version of the fairytale is the keystone of the plot, keeping center stage.  No matter what else it is, it is a real fairytale film.

Secondly, I expected: that this film would attempt to follow up its violence and gore with drama.

The truth: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is FAR from taking itself too seriously.  It unabashedly includes modern swearing, anachronistic inventions, and comedy.  It’s like “Wanted” if the film itself had admitted how ridiculous its premises were, instead of just accepting that the viewers would do that for them.  The violence and gore is like the fantasy version of “Wanted”-lots of action, booyah moments are paramount, and any real injuries are quickly overcome (by washing instead of wax, this time).  It’s a grand, old time.

Thirdly, I expected: to have a lot of thoughts about how they treat gender in this movie where the two protagonists are of different genders.

What I’ve Got: They did a good job.  Are there a couple of nits that could be picked?  Of course there are.  (Such as  including the butt and breasts of a girl, but only the naked torso of a guy, in accordance with current Hollywood rules.)   But by and large, I found their portrayals of Hansel and Gretal and their abilities fairly equal.

What I did not expect: Goofy references to other fairy tales.

What happened: a “Goldilocks” reference, of all things.  They could have at least thrown in a couple more, so it would be another comedy thing instead of that one what are you doing? instance.

In short, I really enjoyed this movie.  It could have gone on a little longer for me, even!  And even for those who wouldn’t enjoy the comedic action film that it is, the opening scene depicting the Grimm tale is still a marvelous addition to cinematic folklore.  Hurrah for pleasant surprises!