Narratology, Structualism & Feminism - Models Ancient & Modern

A small but perfectly formed audience of Pauline classicists gathered for Doctor Bowie's (Angus to Ms Butler, his former student) talk on Literary Theory. The Head of Department was permitted the honour of introducing her old Senior Tutor by Mr Davie, president of the society. Dr Bowie clearly explained his take on Structuralism, interrupted only by the late arrival of Mr Lambert. News of the talk, and possibly the impending lunch had obviously filtered through. He was unfortunate in missing even a moment of Dr Bowie's eloquently expressed theories. Looking at a description from Pausanias of a sacrifice in which old women bludgeon cows to death, Dr Bowie explained how Greek religion tends to work in terms of oppositions which readily lend themselves to structuralist analysis. He went on to look at some famous Greek myths, such as Jason and the Argonauts, and showed that these coming-of-age myths share their basic structure with the Athenian tradition of the ephebeia. The talk was followed by a superb lunch in the V.I.P dining room, with chicken tikka, king prawns and chilled white wine providing a fitting conclusion to the meeting.

T Stadlen