Comments on: Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html Calling Patriarchy As We See It Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:36:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Aadi http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html/comment-page-1#comment-99881 Aadi Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:36:44 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html#comment-99881 The first responder brought forth an example of witches as "self empowered, matrilineal women." While Serafina Pekkala is indeed self-empowered, I feel that her representation highlights some of the strongest evidence of sexism in the novel. Serafina Pekkala is a female character described as "royal and strong." Slender and more beautiful than regular women, even otherworldly, her name suggests an angelic, or seraphic nature. Serafina is the queen of a regional witch clan, and unlike the Gyption women, witches fight, and often win. Yet one defining aspect of Pullman's witches arise from their relationships with mortal men. Witches commonly fall in love with men, taking them for lovers or husband and having their children. Because of the extended life expectancy of witches, the mortal men seem to die instantaneously. Serafina says that each new death is more painful than the last. The Gyptian wise man, Farder Coram, is one of Serafina's previous husbands, yet they recall their relationship with profound differences. He said, "I saved her life and she gave me a token for it, and told me to call if I ever need her. We had other connections too," and that he has not seen her since "that day to this. Contrast that to Serafina's version of their previous relationship, which claims that they lived together and started a family. She stated, I wanted to be a Gyption boat wife and cook for him and bear his children. But you cannot change what you are only what you do. I stayed with him long enough to bear him a child." When the baby died shortly after, "It tore pieces out of my heart, as it always does." Serafina claims that sorrow is a witch's designated lot in life. She laments, "Men we take for lovers and husbands. We love them. They die almost at once. They die so soon that our hearts are continually racked with pain. We bear their children, in the blind of an eye they are gone, felled, slain, lost. Each time becomes more painful, until finally your heart is broken." Serafina then suggests that this grief eventually will kill her. Pullman depicts witches as beautiful, strong, queenly women, impervious to the cold, who live to fly, yet they long to be the wives of mortal men. They wish to clean, cook, and bear children, which they do until their families die. Serafina then suggests that witches eventually die from the compounded heartache accumulated by the years of losing men. I agree that Pullman's books are not "intended as a deliberate commentary on gender." Pullman is not interested in reforming the gender hierarchy. He perpetuates it. The first responder brought forth an example of witches as “self empowered, matrilineal women.” While Serafina Pekkala is indeed self-empowered, I feel that her representation highlights some of the strongest evidence of sexism in the novel.
Serafina Pekkala is a female character described as “royal and strong.” Slender and more beautiful than regular women, even otherworldly, her name suggests an angelic, or seraphic nature. Serafina is the queen of a regional witch clan, and unlike the Gyption women, witches fight, and often win.
Yet one defining aspect of Pullman’s witches arise from their relationships with mortal men. Witches commonly fall in love with men, taking them for lovers or husband and having their children. Because of the extended life expectancy of witches, the mortal men seem to die instantaneously. Serafina says that each new death is more painful than the last.
The Gyptian wise man, Farder Coram, is one of Serafina’s previous husbands, yet they recall their relationship with profound differences. He said, “I saved her life and she gave me a token for it, and told me to call if I ever need her. We had other connections too,” and that he has not seen her since “that day to this. Contrast that to Serafina’s version of their previous relationship, which claims that they lived together and started a family. She stated, I wanted to be a Gyption boat wife and cook for him and bear his children. But you cannot change what you are only what you do. I stayed with him long enough to bear him a child.” When the baby died shortly after, “It tore pieces out of my heart, as it always does.”
Serafina claims that sorrow is a witch’s designated lot in life. She laments, “Men we take for lovers and husbands. We love them. They die almost at once. They die so soon that our hearts are continually racked with pain. We bear their children, in the blind of an eye they are gone, felled, slain, lost. Each time becomes more painful, until finally your heart is broken.” Serafina then suggests that this grief eventually will kill her. Pullman depicts witches as beautiful, strong, queenly women, impervious to the cold, who live to fly, yet they long to be the wives of mortal men. They wish to clean, cook, and bear children, which they do until their families die. Serafina then suggests that witches eventually die from the compounded heartache accumulated by the years of losing men.
I agree that Pullman’s books are not “intended as a deliberate commentary on gender.” Pullman is not interested in reforming the gender hierarchy. He perpetuates it.

]]> By: Anna Lisa http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html/comment-page-1#comment-89825 Anna Lisa Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:11:50 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html#comment-89825 Thanks for your comments! I haven't read the book recently, but I definitely remember how central the witches' physical beauty was to their role in these worlds. All the witches I remember were sexual partners of human men, so their beauty and sexuality were essential to their characters. I don't find this to be empowering or progressive or helpful. Could you say more about the aspects of Lyra and Mrs. Coulter that stand out to you as feminist or empowering? Thanks for your comments!
I haven’t read the book recently, but I definitely remember how central the witches’ physical beauty was to their role in these worlds. All the witches I remember were sexual partners of human men, so their beauty and sexuality were essential to their characters. I don’t find this to be empowering or progressive or helpful.
Could you say more about the aspects of Lyra and Mrs. Coulter that stand out to you as feminist or empowering?

]]> By: a http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html/comment-page-1#comment-87566 a Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:07:46 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/03/philip-pullman-his-dark-materials.html#comment-87566 1. Pullman said (you can find it in the FAQ on his website) that the inclusion of a male character with a male daemon was an error that got overlooked, not a comment on anything. daemons are supposed to be the opposite gender. they are that part of yourself, and since Lyra generally dominates Pan, that may be worth consideration. 2. what about the witches? self-empowered, matrilineal women would probably be pretty relevant to this blurb. 3. i think you largely downplay a lot of aspects of both lyra and mrs. coulter in your attempt to misogynize this story. 4. i would say he doesn't create a society with unique gender roles because these books are not intended as a deliberate commentary on gender. 1. Pullman said (you can find it in the FAQ on his website) that the inclusion of a male character with a male daemon was an error that got overlooked, not a comment on anything. daemons are supposed to be the opposite gender. they are that part of yourself, and since Lyra generally dominates Pan, that may be worth consideration.

2. what about the witches? self-empowered, matrilineal women would probably be pretty relevant to this blurb.

3. i think you largely downplay a lot of aspects of both lyra and mrs. coulter in your attempt to misogynize this story.

4. i would say he doesn’t create a society with unique gender roles because these books are not intended as a deliberate commentary on gender.

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