Women in Men’s Clothes

Today I want to address the subject of women wearing men’s clothes.

In spite of the Bible’s (Deuteronomy 22.5) urge:

“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.”, women have been wearing men’s clothes for many centuries now.

As the 470 BC white-ground alabastron from Attica Greece shows, the Amazons were wearing pants many centuries before Christ (it is in the British Museum’s collection).

Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a genderwithin a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser.^[1] Cross-dressing has been used for disguise, performance art and as a literary trope in modern times and throughout history. (Source: Wikipedia)

What are the motives behind women’s wearing of men’s cloths? Lets see some different cases.

Case 1 (A means to an end): The wife tries to liberate the husband form the prison

In Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, Act 1 begins with Florestan’s wife, Leonore, came to Rocco the jailers door dressed as a boy seeking employment, and Rocco hired her.

Yvonne Howard as Leonore in Opera Holland Park's 2003 production of Fidelio

Case 2 (Artistic): The woman is a mezzo-soprano and has to dress as a man, before her role is a man

In Act 1 of Richard Strauss’s “Der Rosenkavalier,” Princess Marie Therese von Werdenberg (the Marschallin, the title given to a Field Marshal’s wife) and her much younger lover, Count Octavian Rofrano exchange vows of love. In this case, Octavian is a role sung by a mezzo-soprano. Therefore, the role is male, but the singer is female.

Renee Fleming as the Marschallin and Susan Graham as Octavian

Case 3 (Stylistic): Diane KEaton in Woody Allen’s Anny Hall

This is the moment in Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s classic 1977 romantic comedy, when the world (and Alvy Singer) fell in love with Diane Keaton’s distinctive and quirky style. When the 30-year-old actress had turned up on the set, the film’s costume lady complained to Allen that she looked “crazy” and couldn’t possibly wear her own gear onscreen (as often happened in Woody movies). But Allen replied: “Leave her. She’s a genius. Let’s just leave her alone and let her wear what she wants.” (Source: Style Matters)

Case 4(Love): Alice in the Navy – In a Greek movie of 1961, Alice enters the Naval Academy’s Training Center dressed as a Cadet, in order to meet her lover.

Η Αλικη στο Ναυτικο: Αλικη Βουγιουκλακη και Δημητρης Παπαμιχαηλ

Case 5 (Stylistic): Marlene Dietrich in 1928 was photographed by Alfred Eisenstaedt. The photo was part of a set published by LIFE Magazine.

Marlene Dietrich

Case 6 (Stylistic): Catherine Hepburn ten years later, also in a Alfred Eisenstaedt photo.

Catherine Hepburn

Case 7 (Fashion): Thanks to the “How to spend it” Financial Times’ magazine, I can publish the following pictures, for private non-commercial use only.

The irresistible power of … UPDATED 8pm – (Το μ…νι σερνει και το καραβι και τον αρχηγο του ΔΝΤ) ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗ 8 μμ

Εμεις οι Ελληνες εχομε βαθειες παρακαταθηκες.

Ειμεθα και ναυτικος λαος.

Εργο του Παναγιωτη Τσεσμελη, μαθητη Γυμνασιου Σαλαμινας

Και ως εκ τουτου εχομεν επιγνωσιν των δυναμεων εκεινων που δυνανται να τιθασευουν τα πλωτα αυτα σχηματα που τοσα και τοσα πλουτη και δοξα εφεραν και φερνουν στην πατριδα μας ανα τους αιωνες.

Max Beckmann Ulysses

Αυτη η δυναμη που σερνει το καραβι εσυρε το μεσημερι του Σαββατου και τον πανισχυρο Στρως Καν, τον επικεφαλης του λαοφιλους ΔΝΤ. Με τροπο ομως σκοτεινο.

Ευρισκομενος εις την σουιτα του ξενοδοχειου Σοφιτελ, αρτι εξελθων του λουτρου, εν αδαμιαια περιβολη, επετεθη – συμφωνα με το ρεπορταζ – σε καμαριερα που ειχε μπει για να καθαρισει.

Ουαι!!!!!!!!

Η καμαριερα δεν επιθυμουσε το ιδιο που επιθυμουσε ο πανισχυρος ανηρ.

Ουτε χαμογελουσε. Αντισταθηκε και επαλεψε. Και επαλεψε ξανα.

Μολις ξεφυγε απο τους εναγκαλισμους του Αρχηγου, η καμαριερα κατηγγειλε τον Στρως Καν στη Διευθυνση του ξενοδοχειου για αποπειρα βιασμου.

Ο Στρως Καν που αμεσως μετα αποπειραθηκε να φυγει στο Παρισι, συνεληφθη επι του αεροσκαφους της Αιρ Φρανς και ανακρινεται απο την Αστυνομια της Νεας Υορκης. Συντομα θα του απαγγελθουν κατηγοριες και θα ασκηθει ποινικη διωξη.

ΜΕΣΟΛΑΒΗΣΑΝ 12 ΩΡΕΣ

Επανερχομαι στο θεμα μας κατοπιν ωριμου σκεψεως και επιχειρω αναλυσιν ερμηνειαν και αναδειξιν ηθικων αυτουργων.

Φαινεται οτι εξερχομενος του λουτρου ο Αρχηγος του ΔΝΤ υπεφερε απο υπερβολικην στυσιν. Εμπεσων επι της καμαριςρας επιχειρησε την ανακουφισιν ή “πνιξιμο” της θηριωδους στυσεως, ητις υπερεβαινε και τα αγγουρια Ιεραπετρας (αυτα με τα πολλα λιπασματα).

Τυφλωμενος απο την φυσικην του αναγκη, ο Αρχηγος ξεχασε οτι εχει ηδη επελθει η Γαλλικη Επαναστασις, και οι καταπιεσμενοι και πτωχοι πλην τιμιοι ανθρωποι μπορουν να αντιστεκονται στις επιθυμιες των ισχυρων, οταν αυτες δεν εχουν σχεση με τις επαγγελματικες και κοινωνικες συμβασεις.

Ειναι προφανες οτι ο Αρχηγος σκεφτοτανε συνεχως και την επερχομενη υπερατλανιτκη πτηση, και τον ταραζε η ιδεα οτι θα πεταξει πανω απο τον ατλαντικο με την ματζαφλαρα στην τσιτα.

Εδω ομως φαινεται και η ελλειπης αυτογνωσια του Αρχηγου,. Εφοσον παρατηρουνται τετοια φαινομενα εις την φυσιολογιαν του, θα επρεπε να εχει εξασφαλισει την συντροφια εσκορτ κυριας, που ειναι διπλα σου για μια στιγμη αναγκης κι ετσι δεν κινδυνευεις να θελεις μετα απο την βλακεια της καβλας σου να αυτοκτονησεις.

Φωτο Αρχειου - Η σημερινη (15 Μαιου) συναντηση δεν εγινε

Ας ελθωμεν ομως και εις το θεμα των ηθικων αυτουργων. Η σκεψη αυτη μου ηρθε καθως διερωτομουνα πως θα αντιδρασουν αυριο οι αγορες. Πως θα εξελιχθει πλεον η “διασωση” της φιλτατης πατριδος. Κατεληξα στο συμπερασμα οτι πολυ πιθανα πισω απο ολα αυτα ευρισκονται οι μυστικες υπηρεσιες μεγαλης ευρωπαικης χωρας που δεν επιθυμει την διασωσιν της ελλαδος και των αλλων φαληρισαντων, αλλα δεν μπορουσε να αντισταθει στον Γαλλο Αρχηγο του ΔΝΤ που το ειχε παρει εργολαβια να “σωσει” την Ελλαδα μεχρι να εκλεγει Προεδρος της Γαλλικης Δημοκρατιας.

Hellas, Europe, Panathinaikos UPDATED 10th May 2011 – Ελλας Ευρωπη Παναθηναικος

Μεσα στα βαρεια συννεφα που σκιαζουν τη χωρα, η τριφυλλαρα πηρε το 6ο κυπελλο ευρωπαικης καλαθοσφαιρισεως – την κουπα – και ανεπτερωσε το καταρρακωμενο ηθικο μας.

Συσσωμος ο λαος του Παναθηναικου κραυγαζει: “Γιαννακοπουλε Θεε, παρε αμεσως την ΠΑΕ”, μηπως μπορεσουμε και ξαναδουμε πρωταθλημα στο ποδοσφαιρο πριν μπουμε στον εικοστο δευτερο αιωνα.

Το βιντεο κλιπ που ακολουθει το αφιερωνω στην εξαδελφη Δεσποινα που με ενεπνευσε με τον παναθηναικο οιστρο και παλμο της.

“Οσο για τις ψαροκασελες, τις αφηνουμε στην θλιβερη καταντια τους.” εγραψα και ορθα ο εξαδελφος σχολιασε οτι αδικω την ομαδα μπασκετ του ολυμπιακου. Σωστα, και συμφωνω. Η αδεξια και ελλιπης προταση μου αφορουσε τα χουλιγκανια που απο φθονο πανε και συγκρουονται με τα δικα μας χουλιγκανια και χρησιμοποιουν και καλασνικοφ!

Freud on the Acropolis

On his only visit to Greece, in 1904, Sigmund Freud experienced

brief but unsettling feelings of alienation as he

stood on the Acropolis. Haunted by this experience,

Freud did not succeed in analyzing it to his own

satisfaction until 32 years after the event, in 1936.

In 1936 he wrote to his good friend Romain Rolland a letter, where he tried to self-analyze what happened to him back in 1904 on the Acropolis.

Romain Rolland

Freud had started to exchange letters with Romain Rolland since 1923. The French thinker influenced the father of modern psychoanalysis, to the extent that Rolland’s “oceanic feeling” was featured in the opening of Freud’s “Civilization and its discontents”.

Athens and the Acropolis were not in Freud’s travel plans in the summer of 1904. They(he was accompanied by his brother) were going to visit Corfu. However, while in Trieste, they were advised not to go to Corfu, but instead visit Athens and the Acropolis. Freud narrates:

“When, finally, on the afternoon of our arrival I stood on the Acropolis and cast my eyes upon the landscape, a surprising

thought suddenly entered my mind: ‘So all this really does exist, just as we learnt it at school!’”

“. . . the whole psychical situation, which seems so confused and is so difficult to describe, can be satisfactorily

cleared assuming that at the time I had (or might have had) a momentary feeling: ‘What I see here is not real.’

Such a feeling is known as ‘a feeling of derealization’ ['Entremdungsgefuhl' (literally, 'a feeling of alienation')].”

“I might that day on the Acropolis have said to my brother: ‘Do you still remember how, when we were young, we used day after

day to walk on the same streets on our way to school, and how every Sunday we used to go to the Prater or on some excursion we knew so well? And now, here we are in Athens, and standing on the Acropolis! We really have gone a long way!’

. . .

It must be that a sense of guilt was attached to the satisfaction in having gone such a long way: there was

something about it that was wrong, that from earliest times had been forbidden. . . .

It seems as though the essence of success was to have got further than one’s father, and as though to excel one’s father was still something forbidden. . . .

The very theme of Athens and the Acropolis in itself contained evidence of the son’s superiority. Our father had been in business, he had had no secondary education, and Athens could not have meant much to him. Thus what interfered with our enjoyment of the journey to Athens was a feeling of filial piety….”

Sigmund Freud

“I was already a man of mature years [forty-eight] when I stood for the first time on the hill of the Acropolis of

Athens, between the temple ruins, looking out over the blue sea. A feeling of astonishment mingled with my

joy. . . . [M]y astonishment . . . has something to do with the special character of the place. ”

Freud might had the most sincere intention of self analyzing his response to the Acropolis, but his explanations appear to be rather cliche. A man who had deep and rounded knowledge of Ancient Greece and its culture, could not have stayed only at the father -son conflict. Quite obviously the conflict was much deeper and broader. And we will never know enough about it.

Following comments by Despoinarion and Manolis, I venture into an assumption for the further exploration of the issue. The assumption is that the feeling of acute alienation that Freud experienced on the Acropolis is somehow related to his “link” to “Athena”, the goddess.

From the catalog of “Sigmund Freud’s Collection“, I borrowed the following description on the Athena bronze statute that Freud owned since 1914.

Athena

Roman, 1st or 2nd century AD, after a Greek original of the 5th

century BC

bronze, 12.5 x 4.5 x 3.8 cm

LDFRD 3007

Collection Freud Museum London

Athena was Freud’s favourite work. When he bought Athena, sometime after 1914, he positioned her in pride of place at the centre of the antiquities on his desk. In 1938, when the Nazis invaded Vienna, Freud and his family prepared to fl ee. It seemed that Freud might lose his entire collection so he selected two works to be smuggled out, to

represent all the collection meant to him. One of those was Athena, the other a tiny Jade Screen (Qing Dynasty, 19th century, not in the exhibition).

Athena was restored to Freud in Paris, when he was en route to London. Princess Marie Bonaparte, Freud’s close friend and a psychoanalyst, had spirited the statue out of Vienna. When the Princess returned it to him, Freud said that he felt ‘proud and rich under the protection of Athene.’

Freud did not treat his artworks as sacrosanct. During the analysis of the American poet Hilda Doolittle,

known as H.D., he picked up Athena and handed it her. ‘This is my favourite’, he said. ‘She is perfect … only she has lost her spear.’

Athena is a masculine goddess. As the protector of Athens, the Parthenon was her temple. She was the daughter of Zeus, his favourite child, born fully formed from his head. She was a fi erce warrior who, with her enormous bronze-tipped spear, helped the Greeks fi ght the Trojans. When Perseus fought Medusa, the snake-haired

monster, Athena assisted, advising him to use her great shield like a mirror because those who gazed into Medusa’s eyes were turned to stone. On her breast, Athena wore Medusa’s image, an emblem of a vanquished force she had turned to her own advantage. Like most of the gods, she had a range of characteristics: in times of peace, she

was benevolent and inspiring, a patron of the arts and a wise, civilising influence.