Adam and Eve.....is this a feminist issue?

[MargaretGraceBondfield]

Just had the misfortune of listening to radio 4 with a reading of Adam and Eve. I can't think that I've heard the story for years. But I was struck again at the role Eve plays.

FWIW, when I was at school we were told some (crappy) 'oh, it's ok - the serpent is male so it's just about everyone being bad' (er ... right ).

However, in lots of pictures of the scene, the serpent is shown with a woman's head. In fact, in some medieval versions you see a woman-headed serpent and Eve, standing together as if they're conspiring against Adam - it is sometimes a visual echo of scenes against women gossips!

So that story really can be twisted out for all the misogyny it'll give, I think!

Here's a cute little presentation of the story, which you can see at the V&A if you're in London (it's a copy of a German original, and I didn't take the picture). Note who's pointing the finger at whom (and the use of handfuls of leaves, by those who have hands):

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