“Give me the blade. Some things are worth spilling blood for.” Madeline Miller’s Circe and the issue of claiming agency

Abstract

This article proposes an alternative interpretation—with regard to the current state of research—of Madeline Miller’s Circe as a character claiming her agency. In it, I capitalise on Devi and Khuraijam’s linking witchcraft and agency in Circe as well as Alvin Goldman’s theory of human action. On this basis, I substantiate the thesis that, in Madeline Miller’s Circe, the protagonist claims her agency through develo** her witchcraft skills. This process consists of manifesting traits pertinent to being an active character, such as intentionality, motivation through desire or beliefs, and the will to initiate. Circe gradually and slowly moves through these stages to reach her independence and self-assuredness, which she lacks in her childhood. Therefore, in order to reflect these stages, the analytical part of the article is divided into three sections. The first section deals with the rare moments of Circe’s first attempts at witchcraft, which reveal her resolution and intention, even if she fails to act on them. In the second section, Circe’s desires and beliefs are explored as they represent the eventual force behind her future decisions and use of witchcraft. Finally, in the last section, I explore how the previous two stages come to fruition in the shape of Circe actively exercising her will to employ her now superb witchcraft skills in defiance of the rules and conventions that have bound her into submission thus far.