Like we would predict, Stanton heavily relies on the first creation to bolster her point of complete equality of men and women. Tactfully, rather than entirely ignoring the creation in Genesis 2, Stanton meticulously explains its discountability. In one of the most fact based arguments I've seen so far, Stanton outlines the history of the modern old testament and develops a theory that the second creation is a creation itself by men to justify female subjugation.
Stanton continues to make very compelling points to shake readers from accepting the plotline of the story as a reflection of truth. One argument I liked was her proposal that after Eve's creation, all further life comes from woman, which is to say that woman would have subject over her sons (men). This sharp contradiction from the notion that female creation from man makes her inferior reveals the insanity of the latter argument. Stanton also counter attacks the notion of the woman as the source of evil, citing the snake's existance as the root of evil. Here she tries to absolve women of their blame. Stanton realy focuses on attacking the socially integrated notions that predispose genesis interpreters to lean towards female subjugation. For example, the common notion that women were always in subjection is swiftly overturned.
After attempting to heal the wounds of ingrained dogmatic thought, Stanton elevates women to superior in her actions with the snake. During this ever controversial scene, Stanton places Adam off to the side drooling as Eve accepts the fruit. I found it very interesting how Stanton makes use of the fact that Eve hears the command from Adam rather than god, as this argument is usually just the opposite to say that Eve knows the words of god because of her recalling of them. Stanton takes a different twist on this to say that Eve merely hears a "whisper" from Adam, as if this prohibition was not correctly conveyed to her. This image attempts again to absolve Eve from intentional misdoing by taking a stance of ignorance.
Stanton's writing was beautifully clear and took very new and interesting views towards the events of Genesis to bolster women in new ways. We see the first attempts here to reverse the societal standards that plague modern thought.
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It's important that you note the agenda (whether you agree with it or not)that controls the interpretation. Try to be more critical in terms of whether the interpretation is consistent with the biblical text, what assumptions are being made, or what is significantly omitted or added.
"Stanton also counter attacks the notion of the woman as the source of evil, citing the snake's existance as the root of evil. Here she tries to absolve women of their blame....This image attempts again to absolve Eve from intentional misdoing by taking a stance of ignorance. "
It is worth noting that Stanton is working within the normative interpretation which assumes the eating/disobedience is blameworthy, rather than understanding it as necessary for the etiological purposes of the text, despite the fact that this is clearly a primary objective of Gen 2-3.
" For example, the common notion that women were always in subjection is swiftly overturned. "
How so? Female inferiority seems universal to me. The consensus is that the argument for an an original matriarchy is purely imaginative (if not wishful thinking).
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