The Myth of Old European Feminism: The Importance of Socio-Cultural Contextual Analysis

The authors point to the necessity of using contextual analysis when considering the interpretation of myth and social structure as it relates to issues of gender. This type of analysis is of particular importance when interpreting the cultural meaning of socio-cultural artifacts of ancient civilizations. Otherwise, we may impose the perspective of current socially constructed myth systems when interpreting the past. Viewing ancient cultures through contemporary paradigm/myth systems may lead to biased interpretations. In order to demonstrate the importance of contextual analysis and the possible errors that can result from using a predetermined, contemporary cultural perspective, a fictional account of interpretations of socio-cultural artifacts from late 19th century France is presented.