her; the enemy or demon may be in the psyche of other individuals
who want to hurt, dominate, humiliate, or control her; or as is often
the case, she may be endangered by both.
For example, in The Clan of the Cave Bear, Ayla’s capabilities stir
up the animosity of Broud, a brutal and proud clan leader, who
humiliates her and rapes her. In Watership Down, the pioneer rabbits
had to face the General, a power-mad, fascist, one-eyed rabbit. And
the courageous furry-footed, child-sized hobbits in The Fellowship of
the Ring were up against the evil power of Sauron of Mordor and
his hideous Ring-wraiths.
SURVIVING LOSS AND GRIEF
Loss and grieving is another theme in women’s lives and in
heroine myths. Somewhere along the way someone dies or must be
left behind. Loss of a relationship plays a significant part in women’s
lives because most women define themselves by their relationships
and not by their accomplishments. When someone dies, leaves them,
moves away, or becomes estranged, it is consequently a double loss:
the loss of the relationship itself, and the loss of the relationship as
a source of identity.
Many a woman who has been the dependent partner in a relation-
ship finds herself on the heroine’s path only after suffering a loss.
Pregnant Psyche, for example, was deserted by her husband Eros.
In her quest for reunion, she undertook the tasks through which she
evolved. Divorced and widowed women of any age may have to
make choices and be on their own for the first time in their lives. For
example, the death of a lover-companion prompted Atalanta to re-
turn to her father’s kingdom, where the famous footrace was held.
This parallels the course of women who begin a career after the loss
of a relationship. And Ayla was forced to leave the Clan of the Cave
Bear without her son Durc, carrying only her memories and her
grief.
Metaphorically, a psychological death occurs whenever we are
forced to let go of something or someone and must grieve for the
loss. The death may be an aspect of ourselves, an old role, a former
position, or beauty or other youthful qualities that are now gone
and must be mourned; or a dream
Goddesses in Everywoman