Chthonic Aspects of Macdonald's Phantastes: from the Rising of The
Chthonic Aspects of MacDonald’s Phantastes: From the Rising of the Goddess to the Anodos of Anodos Fernando Soto The Herios was a woman’s festival. Plutarch of course could not be present at the secret ceremonies of the Thyaiades, but his friend Thyia, their president, would tell him all a man might know . From the rites known to him he promptly conjectured that it was a “Bringing up of Semele.” Semele, it is acknowledged, is but a Thraco-Phrygian form of Gaia, The “Bringing up of Semele” is but the Anodos of Gala or of Kore the Earth Maiden. It is the Return of the vegetation or Year-Spirit in the spring. (Jane Harrison, Themis 416) 1. Introduction and General Backgrounds hantastes is one of the most mysterious books George MacDonald wrote andP one of the least understood books in the English tradition. Since its publication in 1858, reviewers, readers and researchers have experienced great difficulties understanding the meaning of this complex work.The perceived impediments have been so great that some scholars remain unsure whether Phantastes contains a coherent plot or structure (Reis 87, 89, 93-94; Robb 85, 97; etc.). Other critics appear adamant that it contains neither (Wolff 50; Manlove, Modern 55, 71, 77, 79; England 65, 93, 122). Even those scholars who sense a structure or perceive a plot differ not only regarding the types of structure(s) and/or plot(s) they acknowledge (Docherty 17-22; McGillis “Community” 51-63; Gunther “First Two” 32-42), but in deciding into what, if any, genres or traditions Phantastes belongs (Prickett, “Bildungsroman” 109-23; Docherty 19, 23, 30, McGillis, “Femininity” 31-45; etc.).
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