Nothing More Delicious.

In my first blog post I asked myself this question: Why is the relationship between apples and women problematic within art, literature and poetry? We are going to attempt to answer this question, using what we have learnt from my previous posts. The beginning image of the apple and its association with the Garden of Eden becomes "the guiding myth of Western culture"(Tamar and Moran, 1). This image carries such strong negative connotations, that it manages to resonate itself through the Snow White story, with the same implications. The apple seems to stand for sex and the loss of innocence, which becomes a problematic aspect when women are involved. This is because women are 'supposed' to embody qualities of denial and self-control, yet these principles are unfair because they have been constructed by a patriarchal and oppressive society. On the Victorian Website, under the subheading Hunger as an Instrument of Self-Control and Self-Denial, I found this useful quote:

If we read the apple as a way of revealing the anxieties associated with a certain discourse, we can certainly say that the discourse in query is one that revolves around femininity (representations of female gender roles) and sexuality (the profound fear of female sexuality and the potential consequences of indulging in desires). In the case of Eve and Snow White, the apple motif manages to materialise this fear through their eating of the fruit. They are punished for their appetites. For example, Eve’s punishment for “eating Death” (9.792) means that she can never return “to a state of pre-lapsarian innocence” (Ward, 38). While, Snow White’s consumption “serves as a vehicle for a more potentially disturbing issue — in this case, sexual maturation from girl to woman”(Victorianweb). This is shown in the ending of the story, where Snow white will marry and assume her role as a respectable woman. I believe the relationship between food and women in general is difficult and impossible to sustain, because the “desire for food is often confused, in particular, for sexual desire” (24). Looking at food alongside sexuality restricts and oppresses a woman, who can only be seen as good for not eating, and bad for not eating. In other words, haunted by the dynamic of the 'fallen woman' and the 'angel in the house'.It is interesting to note in art, the representation of apples and women are also indicative of sexuality/sin, while the depiction of apples and men are indicative of positive things… Take a look at these paintings and let me know what you think!

References

Victorianweb.org,. 'Food And Famine In Victorian Literature'. N.p., 2009. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

Ward, Mary. The Literature Of Love. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.

Wilkins, John. Food In European Literature. Exeter, UK: Intellect Books, 1996. Print.
Heller, Tamar, and Patricia Moran. Scenes Of The Apple. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2003. Print.