The faces of the Goddess :: English Literature

The faces of the deitydessThroughout history women have em roleed themselves by taking on manydifferent titles and roles. This plunder be seen in the two allegoricalfantasy novels The Mists of Avalon and Forest house, both written byMarion Zimmer Bradley. In both novels we see the female protagonists bourgeon on many different roles as they move throughout the differentstages of their lives. In the novels it is believed that the Goddessshows herself in every woman. The stages and roles held by the twopriestesses, Morgaine and Eilan, represent the different forms theGoddess takes. Morgaine shows the Goddess inside her when she acts asthe Maiden or Virgin huntress, the Mother of all men and as the OldDeath-crone. These forms of the Goddess show themselves in Eilan asthe Maiden, the loving Mother and the madam of Ravens or Death-crone.Both Morgaines and Eilans actions throughout the novels show thatthey represent the three faces of the Goddess the Virgin Maiden, thelover of men and go ds the Mother, life-giver and caretaker of menand the Old Death-crone, killer of men.To begin, Morgaine represents the Virgin Maiden, the lover of the Godand Summer-king. This is shown when Morgaine is thinking to herselfabout her past while weaving a spell to kill Avalloch. She is planningto set her lover Accolon on the throne in the enthrone of Avalloch afterthe king Uriens dies. Morgaine speaks in her mindYears ago she had been the Virgin Huntress, blessing the Horned Oneand sending him forth to run with the deer and to get or die as theGoddess might decree. He had come back to her... now she was no longerthat Virgin, holding all the power of the Huntress. (The Mists ofAvalon 671)These lines show that Morgaine had at a time taken the form of the VirginGoddess who gives herself to the King Stag. She did the duty of theMaiden Goddess while she was young and a physical maiden by settingArthur the Stag-God on his throne. This is classic because she feelsnow that she must set the God on his throne again but this time in theform of Accolon. Morgaine worries though because she feels she nolonger has the power of the Maiden Huntress to do so. This shows thatMorgaine doubts that the Goddess and all her selves are within her.This occurs despite the fact that she had assumed the position ofMaiden before. Morgaine is still unlearned in the ways of the Goddessand deal the Maiden, she must set out on a spiritual journey toward