Myths, Histories and Interpretations of the "Other Woman"
Mythology is rich in mistresses - both divine and mortal - some who have played their roles cunningly and to perfection, and some who have destroyed themselves and all around them. Famous mistresses have not only graced literature but have written it. George Eliot, Rebecca West, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Rhys have been mistresses. Courtesans have been a feature of royal courts throughout history.
Victoria Griffin considers the political mistress; the writer's mistress; and the artist's mistress. She examines how the roles of wife and mistress come about, how each may threaten the other, or how they may co-exist.
