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Annotation:

This is a clever, substantial and sustained postmodern Short Fiction reflecting on recent political events. Writing through a feminist lens it uses mythological tales and appropriates these to engage the audience with the ideas offered in the Major Work. It uses a variety of different forms, reflecting on the ways events are reported across traditional forms and emerging forms of social media. It is coherent and confident with well-developed skills in articulating and reflecting on the process of investigation.

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The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of

MEDIA RELEASE Published January 2020

The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus has announced that hearings will commence in April 2020, to be held internationally in multiple secure and private locations.

The Commission is inviting submissions for any information about the misconduct of Zeus, the King of Gods. Those wishing to make a submission will have until 31 March 2020.

Zeus currently resides in Mount Olympus with other gods and goddesses, as he has done for millennia, and has been made aware of the future investigation. The Commission has sought an agreement from the gods and goddesses that there will be no godly interference with witnesses.

For further information contact the Commission via the website or directly by email [email protected].

Zeus @RealKingofGods

The RC has hit a new low. Supporters of Mount Olympus showed up in THOUSANDS across the world. No “godly interference”, just the truth.

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PRELIMINARY REPORT – EXTRACT

The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus seeks to investigate what really happened between Zeus and the women who allege to have been abused by him, and whether the events that took place were consensual or not. Some of this conduct has been known and celebrated in Greek stories for thousands of years; some has not.

It is crucial to determine exactly what took place and to dispel common misconceptions that have been widely accepted today. The Commission poses the question whether Zeus, the King of Gods, has in fact committed these heinous rapes. And if so, what steps can be taken to prevent further misconduct?

If the allegations about Zeus are true, how is the phenomenon of raping those weaker than you explained? So far in the Commission, it seems that power, particularly the abuse of power, is the key.

What will be the next step to prevent this abuse of power?

It is difficult to determine the law in these matters due to the period of time over which they have occurred. More often than not this misconduct is frowned upon, but without any significant consequence to deter these acts or even condemn the perpetrator, it continues to occur.

The Commission aims to identify and share the accounts of the women who have been forced into silence due to fear, as well as to address this abusive conduct which is presently illegal but continues to occur as it has for thousands of years. The Commission’s Final Report will be released as more findings are made regarding the King of Gods, Zeus, and these extreme cases of his abuse of power.

Content warning: The stories provided during the inquiry and to the Commission may detail sexual assault committed by our god, Zeus. This may be disturbing or confronting for some due to the strong language and opinions expressed about Zeus and the explicit references to sexual assault.

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Disclaimer: These stories are transcripts of interviews that were recorded during either public or private sessions during the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus. Real names of witnesses have not been used to protect confidentiality; however, in the circumstances of either a public session or the statements of public figures, names have remained unchanged. The Commission operates on the assumption that statements are not falsified and are honest; however, witnesses are not bound to tell the truth. Nothing in the witness statements is to be interpreted as the opinion or belief of the Commission. The Commission is a neutral body, providing the authentic statements of individuals affected by the conduct of Zeus throughout his millennia-long reign.

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The Custodian – Sex, lies and gods: Zeus rocked by the Royal Commission

EXCLUSIVE

DANIEL PLATO

Heading into the Commission’s third With the release of the Preliminary Report, week, Zeus has distanced himself further booksellers have reported a surge in sales from the investigation and announced that of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the original he will take no part in the proceedings. version of Zeus’s romantic affairs. Members of the popular online feminist “I will not be involved in the politically group Chrysalis hope the testimonies will motivated Royal Commission against me shed a new light on the Commission and and hope that those who are a part of the address the consequences of the epic poem process come to the realisation of what it with the women being remembered as truly is,” read an excerpt from our King of sexual objects and their legendary Gods’ media statement. transformations for millennia. Other leaders around the world have also The Commission is expected to run for made statements in support of Zeus, with months more than originally planned as many, such as the President of the United more women come forward with States of America, dismissing the assault interwoven tales of lies, rape and deceit. and rape allegations as “fabricated and a disgrace”.

Zeus @RealKingofGods The Royal Commission is creating FAKE stories to undermine my position, played up by the media to mask their own insecurities. Be aware!

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Day 34 – Personal Inquiry No. 8 [public]

Everyone, I’m sure, is aware of my fate; that or they at least know of my scandalous reputation. The reputation that has followed me like a shadow, a dark part of me that has never left, no matter how much light I create.

Artemis, the goddess of chastity and hunting, once viewed me as her favourite nymph. The other nymphs in the priesthood knew it. How could they not? We would often spend time together, just us two, hunting, talking, bathing, sharing secret stares and laughing at our private jokes.

In case you haven’t picked up on the obvious requirement for a priestess to the goddess of purity, I had to remain chaste - which wasn’t hard in such a tight community. That was until I encountered Zeus.

By all accounts it was my beauty that attracted him, but who really knows?

It was like any other day of hunting. Breathless, fatigued. I had hunted so deep into the forest I became surrounded by untouched, virginal creation. It’s funny how the mind works. I can remember the trees that lined the forest: large and rough, their sweet green leaves that floated effortlessly in the breeze, down onto the unkept grass. A natural sanctuary that I had disturbed for the first time, deciding it would be the optimal place to rest. I drifted through the haze of sleep until she approached me, emphasis on the ‘she’. A lot of people have since asked me why I didn’t think it suspicious that Artemis would visit me alone, but who would’ve thought that there would be sinister intentions? It was common for us to meet in secluded places and sometimes even be the pillow for one another as we slept. A casual conversation followed until I was no longer talking to Artemis. She had become a he, and he was holding me tight. Zeus. My chastity taken like the purity of the forest we had disturbed.

Apparently, the nymphs could sense my guilt. My guilt. The guilt created due to my wrongdoings, my betrayal, my abuse. I remember flinching as she approached, hurt and anger floating in her godly stare. I was so deluded, I began to think Zeus was Artemis all along. All the memories and trust that had grown between us, felled in one swift motion. (Once trust is taken from us we never really find it again, do we?)

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I stood in fear. Fear from having been left splintered and torn in the forest – no longer the pure priestess. I was convinced I had done this to myself. That I had put myself in a position to be manipulated. That I should have realised what was happening before being friendly to Zeus, leading him on.

Don’t think the humiliation, abuse, rejection and self-hatred was the end. , still waiting for Zeus to get over his “playboy” phase, had no mercy. She knew I was a hunter, a skilled one at that. I was transformed – slowly, body part by body part, pulled and twisted, joints breaking, bones bending – into a bear, losing all recognition of who I once was, all sense of humanity. A bear to be hunted, a bear to be left wandering alone and aimlessly, a bear to be killed (almost) by her own son.

It’s not easy carrying the child of your abuser. It is certainly not easy being a beast, pregnant, bearing your human child.

Somehow neither of us died, and my son, Arcas, was rescued from the wild bear, and raised by someone else, ignorant of his shameful history. Years of misery and suicidal thoughts passed, then I recognised him hunting in the forest – he had my nose and hair colour. I was his target and Zeus, in what many call an act of “compassion”, scooped us up, before Arcas could murder his tortured mother, and made us shiny, pretty constellations in the sky. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, probably known to you as Big Bear and Little Bear.

But Hera still wasn’t finished with us. We were stuck in the sky for eternity. Displayed in a circumpolar position, constantly visible, never allowed to take a dip into the cool waters of the oceans. You might also recognise my name – Callisto – but I’m sure you would never recognise my own achievements: my excellence in academics or my skill in hunting. I’m only ever remembered as that bear or the one Zeus got with.

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Zappfeed –

Blurred lines

Posted on Tuesday at 5:15pm

Leo Kohler, Reporter at Zappfeed International Office

Is it rape if your date tells you he is one person but turns out to be someone completely different? That is the question being asked at the Commission this week.

The recent testimony of Callisto, involving Zeus disguised as Artemis, has provoked this new legal issue. Callisto consented to a relationship with Artemis, but not Zeus, who’d allegedly transformed into the goddess.

It adds to the already complex issue of consent. Should job, income or age be disclosed? In all relationships? Or just some?

Looking further at the role of consent and “rape by fraud”, most nations’ laws depend on whether the accused knew that their sexual advancements were unwelcome. No law depends on whether the accused had told the truth about who they are.

A glance at Callisto’s testimony shows that consent was not made clear between her and Zeus.

Artemis has also broken her silence as she is drawn into the midst of the Commission. Despite Callisto’s statement receiving heavy scrutiny, Artemis announced that if Callisto were to take responsibility and forgive Zeus for what might’ve been an accident, her relationship with Callisto would be repaired.

For now, the beautiful constellations of the Big Bear and Little Bear can still be admired and enjoyed in the night sky, with predictions that the stars this weekend will be brighter than ever.

Zeus @RealKingofGods

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Day 62 – Personal Inquiry No. 65 [public]

It was impossible to tell. How could I? It was dark, and I hadn’t seen him for so long. I was expecting my husband, not a god. Amphitryon had promised me he would be home soon. I was so excited when he finally arrived.

He took me to our bedroom and mesmerised me with stories of battles, stories of victory. I was so proud and honoured to be his wife. It was my greatest joy.

Until it wasn’t.

The morning after it happened, he left. He said he wasn’t my husband, he said he wasn’t Amphitryon. But he sounded like Amphitryon, he looked like my husband. I was so sure that this was a joke that my mind immediately rejected any possibility of truth. When Amphitryon finally came home later that day, I was talking about the night we had shared together. I still remember the confusion blossoming on his face. Apparently, he was still on his journey home the day before. Confusion grew into anger. I had betrayed us, destroyed our future together.

I had no one. No one to talk to. No one with whom to share my confusion, my bizarre experience. I was hollow. All existence revolved around that one night, the night that my life changed. A constant cycle, with no answer, no destination to end my torment. It broke me.

Then I found out I was pregnant.

I knew that it must’ve been the other Amphitryon. I had tried to explain, I really had, to make Amphitryon understand what was happening to me. Soon the risk was too great, I avoided him as much as I could. He never believed that it was an exact replica of him that first night. He couldn’t comprehend that I didn’t want to hurt him.

How was I meant to continue with him and my baby? So I hired Galanthis as a helping hand. When Amphitryon came home in a drunken rage, she knew exactly where to hide me, exactly how to reason with him to leave me alone.

Once labour began, Hera got involved. Somehow the rumour spread that I was carrying Zeus’s baby. I didn’t even know the rumours were about me until Galanthis

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pointed out the coincidences. The exact time that Zeus’s baby was to be born. An unexplained assault. I didn’t know Zeus, I hadn’t even known that Zeus had disguised himself as Amphitryon. But I was still forced to endure seven days of labour. Seven days of godly intervention. Every time I died I was revived by the so- called generous Zeus. The pain never ended, numbness iced my veins as my blood continued to drain. I was delirious with visions of Amphitryon taking me back.

Galanthis saved me. She was astounding, tricking the gods to end Hera’s torture, finally allowing the birth of my boy, Hercules. I don’t think I can ever forgive myself for letting Galanthis into Hera’s sights, but I couldn’t have gone on with the labour.

Amphitryon eventually left and so did the constant haze of black and blue.

As revenge Hera transformed Galanthis into a . It was just me, a baby and a weasel.

You have no idea how hard I worked to rebuild parts of me.

But soon enough there was Zeus, working his way into my new life. I had to hand over my boy – he would have a better life away from me and the weasel. I was unstable. Angry. Irrational. Unfit. I was never like this. Zeus did this to me. There was nothing I could do.

My only hope is that because of the Commission Hercules will understand what I did. I could never be the mother I wanted to be. I was a victim of rape and that changed me forever.

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Friendbook Recommended by 10.3K people Di d anyone hear ’s dramatic story this week at the Royal Rubbish Commission? It’s a never before heard story of the conception of Hercules.

Why has she only come forward now, thousands of years after the alleged rape? Expert in trauma, Phillipo Bion says that “after a significant amount of time memories can be distorted and exaggerated as brain pathways are readjusted as a coping mechanism for trauma.” It’s obvious this is the case when we look at Alcmene’s testimony in which she excludes the mixed signals to Zeus.

We only have to look at the other leaders in our international community to understand how the dishonest and biased narratives are being perceived. Respected politician Guar says that “rape is a social crime which depends upon the man and woman. It is sometimes right and sometimes wrong.” Why don’t we see more leaders making a positive stand against the investigation?

This Royal Commission and particularly Alcmene’s confession shows how easy it is to twist the truth by excluding it to portray a point of view. View previous 42.7K comments – Does Hercules know?

I feel sorry for him, imagine your mum saying all this about your conception!

She’s only talking now because she wants the attention.

More like the money. I wonder how much she is getting paid? Ha ha ha.

How could anyone think she is telling the truth? What a liar!

I agree. You have to be some sort of special to believe all this.

Wouldn’t you think she knows her husband. Dumb girl – she deserved what was coming.

Ha ha ha. She sure did!

Couldn’t have said it better.

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Zeus @RealKingofGods

Crazy Alcmene wouldn’t have been my first choice as a mother or as a lover! Don’t think she can blame me for her own mistakes.

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Day 89 – Personal Inquiry No. 47 [public]

Do I start? Yes? Okay, so like all wedding days I was subject to a lot of preparation and pampering, especially considering that I was to be married to the powerful King of Sparta. Back in those days it was the tradition to have a nuptial bath before the wedding events began. The bath was beautiful, a secluded river and a moment of peace while my destiny awaited. The bath was for my purity and fertility, cleansing me before the pivotal change from girlhood to womanhood.

They say a dead swan is a sign from the gods to stop marriage preparations. It was a story that had been told to scare us before our wedding days. And then my day came, and it happened. I couldn’t believe it; the swan was so still, sprawled along the river bed. I was sure it must’ve drowned, contaminating my nuptial bath and cursing my marriage. But, behold my luck, it suddenly moved like it was being chased. I still don’t know exactly what happened, but like all the poets say the swan must’ve skidded across the water into my arms. My feminine instincts taking me over, I comforted the poor swan, who was shaking in what I thought was fear. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I was desperately trying to make my marriage acceptable to the gods, gently caressing and calming the animal down. Any other bride would have done the same. I don’t know how it happened, but the small swan that was nestled against my chest became a god. (I have never been able to comprehend how people thought I would have sex with a swan! A swan, for Mount Olympus’s sake!)

Afterwards, I went about my preparations as usual. I didn’t want to be rejected by Tyndareus when we were to be married after so long. And it’s true, I did lay eggs when I gave birth. That was when I had to share what had happened. The “incident” I had hidden from everyone for almost a year, that I refused to acknowledge for years more. Tyndareus and I fell quickly in love and I hoped desperately that he would stay with me. I knew when I told him the truth I could lose him, my family, my status, everything that my life had amounted to. But somehow, we persevered. Even though two of the four children were biologically not his and would be half-immortal, we planned that they would be raised as his children. And they were. We were a perfect family, and no one had suspected anything about the four egg-hatched children. I

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had convinced everyone that my birthing experience was a prank from the Gods, which wasn’t uncommon back then. At some point I even convinced myself.

Then, to top it all off, Zeus came back into the picture, ruining our illusion of a perfect life (again). He wanted to have a fatherly relationship with Helen, technically his biological daughter – so much so that he thought that a constellation of a swan would change my mind. Painting my degradation and humiliation in the stars. Forever glorifying his assault.

Quite a comedian wouldn’t you say? It’s a rhetorical question. You need not answer.

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The Herald – Leda Laid in Lake

MARK ARISTOTLE

CHIEF REPORTER OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION

Leda left the doors of the Royal “The original stories without a doubt have Commission on Thursday last week after had an impact on the narratives presented presenting her version of events leading to by the women involved in this outlandish the birth of the beautiful Helen of Troy. Commission. I find it appalling that they can get away with this without further As published this week, Leda outlined her interrogation.” tale of seduction and rape, accusing Zeus of manipulating her wedding preparations Male rights campaigner Orion Pearce said, by catching her off-guard, naked. “This story shows the lengths some women will go to, to put their own Responding to the contradictory narrative, happiness ahead of the rights and Ovid has released a statement declaring his wellbeing of fathers and their children.” disappointment in the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus: “I find it hard While no one doubts that Zeus and Leda to believe that these women’s recollections had a relationship, there continues to be have not been affected by my writing of doubt about the truth of the stories being Metamorphoses. told to the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus.

Zeus @RealKingofGods Leda has no documentation and I am thrown under the bus AGAIN in the RC. This is the biggest witch hunt I’ve ever seen! Can you imagine what would happen if they actually told the truth?

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Day 103 – Personal Inquiry No. 23 [public]

If I didn’t have such a recognisable name I wouldn’t have been remembered. That’s the catch, isn’t it? If you don’t ever stand out no one will remember you, no one would even notice you in the first place. It’s true, some say as a strange sort of compensation, that great mass of land, Europe, is named after me. A beautiful and abundant continent. So many opportunities for new life – the raping of villages, the assault of women, the birth of new people, forced to endure the horrors of life – all in memory of me. How fitting!

Anyway, it began with Zeus manipulating his form into that of a bull (as we should all know by now, Zeus is quite good at manipulation) … a beautiful bull, I might add. Silky white hair, the deepest brown eyes and a surprisingly gentle nature. I was a sucker for animals, and he knew it. No one, not even the herdsman, knew where the bull had come from, and no one would have expected it to be a god. Although gods commonly were known to mix with us humans, I still couldn’t comprehend why Zeus would bother to waste his time with a girl from a remote farming village. I guess it didn’t really matter to him all that much.

Have you ever wondered why I am always portrayed naked on a bull’s back? Or why I am so often shown with my hand slightly grasping the bull’s horn? I’ll give you three hints:

One. Were those people who wrote or painted my “journey” really there?

Two. If you’ve ever experienced riding bareback on a magical bull at high speed you would probably realise I am not grasping the horn of the bull out of affection or as some say, a phallic symbol, but rather holding on for dear life.

Three. What have men loved all through history? Helpless, beautiful, young women – and sometimes they happen to be carried away on the back of a bull. Well, abducted.

It was only once we were heading towards the water that it fully dawned upon me that this wasn’t some rogue bull, but someone transformed into a bull. People have tried to deny that this happened to me. Herodotus said my rape was just a fictional

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story, rationalising my kidnapping. Sure, of course. I mean, how could I have been pregnant if it wasn’t a consenting, loving act?

Everyone knows Zeus’s methods and soon enough, there I was, stranded with him in the ocean, carried onto the island of Crete, to give birth to Zeus’s three sons. And as a way to make it a more comfortable experience, I was made queen. How kind. Away from my family and friends, never to see them again, everything I knew gone. Stranded on a distant island and made queen. Queen Europa.

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Olympus Oracle What a load of bull! Europa enters the investigation

By Nikolaos Archimedes

Yesterday the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus received more attention in the wake of Europa’s testimony. Europa, the mother of Europe and immortal in name and legacy, has since brushed off the stories that had been of interest to historians and mythologists for centuries.

In her testimony Europa overlooked some key information. She purposely excluded a crucial element of context: Zeus’s eternal dedication to her as proved by the bull constellation – Taurus. These stars represent the pivotal journey of Zeus in bull form, carefully carrying Europa to the island of Crete. Why Europa excluded this information is unknown. When contacted she declined to comment.

This brings into question the reliability of Europa’s testimony and whether she is a credible witness. As the judge in the recent Geoffrey Slow case said, “the accuser should be a credible witness”. Considering the Commission is one of the most serious legal investigations, the credibility of the witnesses should be of utmost importance to the process, and investigations should be made into the character of these so-called witnesses. Europa shows herself to be an unreliable source due to her “propensity to exaggerate and embellish”, in the words of the judge.

Zeus @RealKingofGods People are never appreciative of the hard work I do in this world. Some are just ungrateful, dramatic liars who have never experienced how hard being King of Gods really is.

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The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus

FINAL REPORT – EXTRACTS

Over 10,000 individuals have attended or contacted the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus to share their experiences. The Commissioner has taken into account the issues and solutions suggested by victims and witnesses and provides the international community with the following recommendations to assist in protecting vulnerable people from abuses of power.

Recommendation 1.1 There should be an Office Against the Abuse of Power (OAAP), to include mechanisms to examine those in positions of power and a reporting system to monitor allegations of abuse. This should be overseen by a committee dedicated to maintaining justice and integrity.

Recommendation 1.2 The OAAP should include responsibility for overseeing:

a. the actions of gods, in particular Zeus, and their use of power in public spheres and of manipulative powers in private spheres

b. the instances of abuse in all professions and relationships. The highest standards should be expected of employers who are responsible for vulnerable people.

* * *

Recommendation 6.5 The objective to increase global community awareness of sexual abuse and misbehaviour should include:

a. educational programs to inform all individuals about the nature of manipulation and abuse to limit the opportunity for such abuse to occur in the future

b. public campaigns to raise awareness and in particular to target women who are disproportionately affected by such misbehaviour

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c. information services and outreach hotlines for those who believe they are being, have been, or will be abused, as well as services and hotlines for those who believe they themselves will abuse power through the actions of sexual assault.

* * *

Recommendation 11.16 Mount Olympus should develop a method of self-regulation including a code of conduct with no exemptions for any individual. This should include guidance of ethical behaviour and means for gods and goddesses to be assessed and punished for any breach of conduct.

* * *

Recommendation 19.57 Mount Olympus and all other individuals and bodies in a position of power should release a report on the status of the implementation of recommendations from this Commission and establish areas for further improvement.

Recommendation 19.58

The Commission requests that Zeus, or the body of Mount Olympus, make a public apology for the continuous misuse of power and specifically their abuse of women and men, both those who have come forward to break their silence during the Commission and those who remain silent.

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Mount Olympus Radio – 5pm Driving Home

Male Presenter: Welcome back to Owl News. Tonight, we hear about Zeus and what he has done to improve the economy, NASA’s new find, and the International Agricultural Fair.

But first, a young woman has been missing for almost a week now. Her family and friends say it is unlike her to run away or not alert them of her whereabouts. Io was last seen at her job, working as a secretary under the King of Gods, Zeus.

Our reporters went to the International Agricultural Fair today and managed to speak to a number of Io’s friends and family along with officials. Here is an extract of those recordings:

Reporter: I’m here with the organisers of the Agricultural Fair. Mr Brown, do you have something to say about Io?

Mr Brown: Her absence has been felt by all of us. Our community is quite shaken up. Io was friendly and outgoing and is deeply missed.

Reporter: Today was bittersweet for Io’s family as they were awarded the Gold prize again this year, with a never-before-seen white heifer.

Mr Brown: I was speaking to the family earlier and they said it was a hard victory with Io still missing, but they saw the new white heifer who joined them as a sign of her still being in their hearts. It was quite bizarre actually, no one knew where the heifer has come from.

Reporter: Thank you for speaking with us, Mr Brown. We are all waiting upon further news of Io from officials. This is Daily News at the Agricultural Fair.

Male Presenter: A spokesperson from the police said Io’s file remains open and they are asking for public assistance in tracing her last known whereabouts with grave concerns for her safety. If anyone has any information, please contact your local police.

Just in, we have received a statement from the Agricultural Show saying that the prize- winning white heifer has just gone missing. What terrible luck for her family.

In other news, NASA has announced the identification of a new moon in the orbit of Jupiter.

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A spokesperson from NASA said: “Previous studies identified seventy-nine moons of Jupiter. Today, another moon has been found, making it a total of eighty moons.”

Male Presenter: Scientists are puzzled by the new revelation and are investigating why the moon has been hidden for so long.

That’s all we have for tonight and remember to stay safe during the extreme lightning storm; Pythagoras and Euclid will be up next. This is Mount Olympus Radio driving you home.

Zeus @RealKingofGods

What a great Agricultural Show we have this year! Our economy is the best it’s ever been, with the help of my leadership. Some amazing wins across the board.

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Reflection Statement

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Mary Beard, Women and Power: A Manifesto

The intention of my Major Work, ‘The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus’, is to write a postmodern short story adaptation of ancient from a polyphonic perspective. This idea evolved from my personal interest in Greek mythology and feminist literary theory, which focus on how patriarchal contexts since the classical age have influenced story-telling. In this exploration, my purpose was to challenge the reader to recognise similarities between ancient Greece and modern society, particularly the abuse of power that is often in the form of sexual abuse. I have done this through re-telling well-known myths about Zeus in a contemporary setting, a Royal Commission, and highlighting the continued social penalties for women who speak out and a lack of justice for victims. My decision to interweave the female perspectives with media reports replicates the structure of ancient Greek drama, with the media as a chorus that undermines the proceeding voice and emphasises the criticism individuals can be subject to in this era of online communication. Thus, my Major Work interrogates the universal abuse of power that manifests in sexual abuse against women, depicting both mythological and modern experiences.

I chose to write my Major Work in the form of a short story to convincingly present a Royal Commission and to develop an insightful narrative. I was influenced by the English Advanced module ‘Textual Conversations’, where I studied how a classic text and its postmodern adaptation can communicate values and attitudes that can align or collide with each other. I replicated this with intertextual references to classical figures, as seen in my playful characterisation of Ovid: ‘I find it hard to believe that these women’s recollections have not been affected by my writing of Metamorphoses.’ Through experimenting with the flexibility of postmodernist writing and choosing to share the often silenced voices of ancient Greek women of myth, I have expanded the field of re-imagining classical texts. I have also borrowed

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elements of Ovid’s canonical text Metamorphoses1, such as the repeated parallel of Callisto with nature, “ ”, to mirror the original writing and develop an authentic adaptation of mythology. In this manner, my short story effectively demonstrates a ‘textual conversation’ between the contemporary and the classic, represented in the playfulness of postmodernism and the flexibility of the short story form.

Reading other short stories has expanded my ability to develop distinct voices in my polyphonic narrative. Anne Lamott’s ideas about character development in her writing guide, Bird by Bird2, significantly shaped my writing process as I undertook her advice to create wholistic and unique characters, which I achieved through creating backstories for the women’s testimonies, evident in my subtle hint of domestic violence: “Amphitryon eventually left and so did the constant haze of black and blue”. Influenced by Zadie Smith’s use of vignettes in the short story ‘Permission to Enter’, I transformed the traditional short story form into a postmodern version of ancient Greek drama, where the vignette form alternates between the media perspective and the Royal Commission’s. Another key influence was Kirsty Logan’s short story collection The Rental Heart and other Fairytales3, which similarly adapted traditional narratives, acting as an exemplar on how to write cohesive and unique characters. This was a struggle for me as initially the women’s myths seemed very similar; however, by varying the syntax and tone of each woman I was able to create distinct and personal voices within my piece. This is evident in Alcmene’s statement: “It was impossible to tell. How could I? It was dark, and I hadn’t seen him for so long”, where short sentences and rhetorical questions immediately create an uneasy and insecure persona. In contrast, Callisto’s voice is confident: “Everyone, I’m sure, is aware of my fate; that or they at least know of my scandalous reputation.” Furthermore, by mimicking Margaret Atwood’s use of emphasis in her short story ‘Unpopular Gals’4, “ ’, I have enhanced the ‘personality’ of each character, ensuring dynamic and tangible voices for the reader.

1 Ovid, Metamorphoses (Penguin Books, 2002) 2 Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird (Scribe Publications, 2008) 3 Kirsty Logan, The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales (Salt Publishing, 2014) 4 Margaret Atwood, Unpopular Gals (Virago, 1992)

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My choice to rewrite the female perspectives of ancient Greek mythology was directed by my extended research project for the English Extension I course. This involved the intensive study of Homer’s Odyssey5 and Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad6, which significantly developed my ideas about how to integrate mythology to be easily portrayed to an understanding audience. The motif of transformation into celestial bodies acknowledges the origin of mythology as well as being instrumental to the conclusion of the short story: “In other news, NASA has announced the identification of a new moon in the orbit of Jupiter.” The allusion to yet another woman’s transformation enhances my purpose to challenge the audience in recognising similarities between ancient mythology and modern society, as it demonstrates that the abuse of power continues to occur. This is pivotal in symbolising the dehumanising and physical silencing of women who speak out against abuse and is replicated in the sensationalist media perspective. The decision to use the media perspective to resemble an ancient Greek chorus has also been guided by Atwood, who writes from the perspective of the chorus of murdered maids in The Penelopiad. By writing in a vignette structure, I have been able to represent the media’s short attention span for serious, on-going issues such as sexual abuse, highlighted in the final media excerpt where there is no mention of the Royal Commission. Within the Friendbook vignette, I included a comment section to represent opinionated perspectives: “How could anyone think she is telling the truth. What a liar!”, effectively drawing inspiration from my own personal experiences and research. This critical focus on both the contemporary and the classical adds to the postmodern narrative, creating an exciting and engaging story.

I decided to include subtle undertones of victim blaming after reading the academic article, ‘A Critique of Causes and Measures of Rape: A Systematic Review of Literature’7. I have written parodic fragments including from public figures, to emphasise the controversial and often sexist remarks about women. This is demonstrated in the contemporary allusion: “ ”,

5 Homer, Odyssey (Penguin Books, 1996) 6 Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad (Canongate, 2005) 7 Saksi Singh, A Critique of Causes and Measures of Rape: A Systematic Review of Literature (Language of India, 2018)

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quoting Trump’s opinion8 that many assault allegations are politically motivated. In doing so, I have made my Major Work relatable and accessible for an audience that may not have prior knowledge of ancient Greek mythology and its impact in our Western world. This significantly widens my target audience as I hope to engage with an educated audience of young to middle aged readers who are interested in ancient Greek mythology or feminist literature. I plan to submit my story to Scum, a feminist-friendly, online Australian literary journal. In doing so my Major Work would add to the field of feminist adaptations of canonical texts.

The concept for my Major Work required research into patriarchal power relations that accommodates for abuse against women, as well as further knowledge of theories of power and feminist literary criticism. This led me to read Women and Power: A Manifesto9 by Mary Beard a feminist cultural critic and historian, increasing my understanding of how ancient Greek patriarchal norms have shaped Western society and more interestingly, how women’s voices are negatively received today due to the deep rooted history stemming from ancient Greece. In my Major Work I have mimicked Twitter, a world-wide social media platform that has grown in its influence of people, politics, power and is often used to target individuals10. The concept of ‘Hoots’: “Crazy Alcmene wouldn’t have been my first choice as a mother or as a lover!”, has added to the realism of my Major Work by using Trumpian and exaggerated comments, bending the traditional norms of short stories to demonstrate how social media can be used to belittle women. I also convey how leaders can use power to discourage individuals from speaking out against those in positions of power. In doing so, I have achieved my purpose to confront the audience with a new perspective on how women, in particular, are silenced when subject to the abuse and manipulation of power. Through this perspective and exploration of power in structure and concept, my Major Work is both an educated and accessible narrative.

8 ‘Trump: Kavanaugh assault claims 'a hoax'’ (BBC, 2018) 9 Mary Beard, Women and Power: A Manifesto (Profile Books, 2017) 10 Gaby Hinscliff, ‘Trash Talk: how Twitter is shaping the new politics’ (The Guardian, 2016)

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Overall, the challenging process of writing a purposeful and enjoyable short story has been deeply rewarding and has enabled me to reflect on the inner workings of society and power. It is only through intensive research and a greater appreciation of literature that it has been possible to complete ‘The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus’, with the hope that through the postmodern rewriting of ancient Greek mythology the audience will also recognise the problematic abuse of women and will continue advocating for just outcomes for those who are silenced and forgotten.

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Reference Sheet

Atwood. M. The Penelopiad, (2005), Canongate

Atwood. M. Unpopular Gals, (1992), Virago

BBC. ‘Trump: Kavanaugh assault claims 'a hoax'’, (2018). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45787433

Beard. M. Women and Power: A Manifesto, (2017), Profile Books

Hinscliff. G. ‘Trash Talk: how Twitter is shaping the new politics’, (2016). Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/31/trash-talk-how-twitter-is- shaping-the-new-politics

Homer and Fagles. R. Odyssey, (1996), Penguin Books

Lamott. A. Bird by Bird, (2008), Scribe Publications

Logan. K. The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales, (2014), Salt Publishing.

Ovid and Golding. A. Metamorphoses, (2002), Penguin Books

Singh S. A Critique of the Causes of Rape: A Systematic Review of Literature, (2018), Language in India

Smith. Z. ‘Permission to Enter’, (2012). Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/07/30/permission-to-enter

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