Original Research - Special Collection: P.M. Venter Dedication

What makes men and women identify with Judith? A Jungian mythological perspective on the feminist value of Judith today

Helen Efthimiadis-Keith
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 68, No 1 | a1267 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v68i1.1267 | © 2012 Helen Efthimiadis-Keith | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 May 2012 | Published: 23 August 2012

About the author(s)

Helen Efthimiadis-Keith, School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Inspired by her student’s overwhelmingly positive interpretation of Judith as a model for women’s liberation in diverse African contexts – despite the debate around the feminist value of Judith-Judith – the author deals with what could possibly allow men and women, particularly the latter, to interpret Judith positively today. Given her interest in Jungian individuation theory and Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) mythology, the author investigates the subject matter by exploring Judith’s relation to male and female individuation patterns, the myths of the hero’s quest and Demeter-Kore, and ANE warrior-goddess myths.

Keywords

Judith; feminist debate; Jungian individuation theory; myths of the hero’s quest; Demeter-Kore; ANE warrior-goddesses

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