Heroines in History

Katie Pickles is Professor of History at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. She was the recipient of a Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand James Cook Research Fellowship for ‘the heroine with a thousand faces.’ Her research examines heroism, intersectional identities and decolonisation. She is also the author of Female Imperialism and National Identity: Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (2002/09), Transnational Outrage: The Death and Commemoration of Edith Cavell (2007/15) and Christchurch Ruptures (2016).

"Katie Pickles’s Heroines in History uses an astonishing assortment of case studies to make a simple, elegant argument: modern heroines become recognizable as historical models reshaped by the heterosexist societies that produce and surround them. Pickles persuades us that tales of heroines have always promoted a few enduring types of feminine fame and honor—mostly as motherly saviors, cross-dressing woman-warriors, and martyrs to the cause, whether that cause be an empire, an ideal, or domestic responsibility. Pickles rehearses fascinating tales of heroines, ranging from the fifth-century Chinese soldier Hua Mulan (of Disney fame) and Māori goddesses, to Princess Diana and the teenager called to eco-activism, Greta Thunberg. Like one of the aviatrices she also analyses, Pickles fearlessly flies over historical periods and regions of the world to deconstruct the heroic narratives that have both advertised and contained exceptional women. Global consciousness now influences our tales of famous women, just as maternal imperialist values shaped 19th-century heroines, and 20th-century French politics altered the legend of Joan of Arc. Who will step forward in coming times as the new generation of heroines? With Katie Pickles’s book in hand, we are all better prepared to find out."Lisa BitelAuthor of Our Lady of the Rock: Vision and Pilgrimage in the Mojave Desert (Cornell 2016)Dean’s Professor of Religion & Professor of HistoryUniversity of Southern California"Heroines in History: a Thousand Faces reveals the fascinating patterns that underpin the creation of heroines. As archetypes that resonate across cultures and through time the book explores the complex ideological underpinnings that make heroines of women warriors, royals, radicals and religious along with mothers, mystics and adventurers. Pickles illuminates the foundational forces that propel women to prominence as heroines and deftly unpacks the cultural work that ensures they continue to speak to contemporary audiences. Written in a vibrant and accessible style, it is a joy to read."Louise Edwards, FAHA, FASSA, FHKAHAuthor of Women Warriors and Wartime Spies of China (Cambridge 2016). Emeritus Professor School of Humanities and LanguagesUniversity of New South Wales

• 1 Introduction: the heroine with a thousand faces? / 2 Mothers: super-womanly, spiritual Goddess power / 3 Warriors: modern Amazons serving their people / 4 Callings: from selfless to gloriously selfish / 5 Cross-dressing: the limits of binary identity / 6 Death and disability: a heroine’s lot / 7 Feminist icons and role models: white, female and middle class / 8 Glamour: all image and no substance? / 9 Conclusion: plastic body parts, celebrity mothers, Perspex cages and a new Joan of Arc