Female Rage: Unlocking Its Secrets, Claiming Its Power

Valentis and Devane start from a basic premise: Women's rage is not necessarily destructive-it can also serve as a catalyst for change, such as for equality between the sexes. Literature professors at the State University of New York, the authors analyze women's rage and how it can wreak havoc or serve as a wake-up call, drawing on examples from myth, especially vignettes from the story of Medusa, which begin each chapter (the Medea legend also comes up frequently); news events, including Anita Hill's testimony at the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and the Hedda Nussbaum/Joel Steinberg case; and examples from literature and film. Also discussed are the psychological problems that can result from repressed rage: multiple personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol dependency, anger at other women and overdependence on men. Covered as well is the rage older women often experience in reaction to a youth culture. Finally, the authors suggest to women how to acknowledge their rage and transform it into energy for positive change. Photos not seen by PW. (Nov.)