Thesis Theater Recording
Event Announcement
Signum MA student Christopher Hawkins will present their thesis “#MeToo, Medusa: The Power of Narrative on Western Society” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Christopher’s thesis supervisor, Professor Sara Brown, and Second Reader, Professor Maggie Parke.
Thesis Abstract
All societies are governed and shaped by the narratives that they tell. The stories that we, as a people, share with one another and pass down reflect how we view the world. By looking at how the Medusa myth has been encoded into the collective unconscious of Western Society, and by using the myth of Medusa as a lens, it can be seen how Western Society’s view of women has evolved and changed over the centuries, from both the male and female perspective, and how little truly has changed in this patriarchal society. Through evaluation of the various incarnations of Medusa and the Medusa myth throughout history using a historical and feminist framework, it can be seen how men fear sexually empowered, fully realized women and have been systematically working to strip women of their power, pride, and purpose. While the majority of feminist scholars view Medusa as a victim of abuse, mainstream media still portrays her as a femme fatale, set to destroy man. Medusa serves as a representation for the fully realized woman, and to this day, she is the one seen as a monster by men and is used to keep women down.
About the Presenter
Christopher Hawkins is a high school English teacher and has loved incorporating what he has learned during his time at Signum into his lessons. He has a Masters of Education for Secondary Education, as well as a BA in English and a minor in Classical Mythology from the University of Maryland. Now that he has finished his Masters at Signum, he is not sure where his academic journey will lead. All that can be known is that the road goes ever on and on…
About Signum Thesis Theaters
Our graduate students write a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theatre is where they can present their thesis to the Signum community and wider public, enabling them to explain their topic in detail, respond to questions from the audience, and develop their conclusions.
