CLASSICS RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM DATE: Thursday, 23 March 2017 TIME: 14:10 - 15:45 VENUE: Committee Room, Classics Department, Room GO 12A, Ground Floor, MTB, Howard College Campus SPEAKER: Carey Kirkman (Classics, UKZN) TOPIC: Two-faced Venus: the doppelgängerin in Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche and Lewis’ Till We Have Faces ABSTRACT: The concept of a doppelgängerin or female double in literature presents the idea that women possess a dual nature composed of opposites that contradict one another. In some instances, especially in folktale, light and dark qualities exist within a single female character and in others the qualities are split between separate individuals. In Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche episode, Venus possesses qualities that are at odds with one another, making her appear to be a doppelgängerin. In C. S. Lewis’ 1956 retelling of the Cupid and Psyche episode, Till We Have Faces, Lewis transfers the role and qualities of Venus to Orual, sister of Psyche. Orual represents a character who, like Venus, has opposing characteristics that indicate a dual nature. In attempting to assess whether or not there is truth to the assertion that women have a naturally dual nature, it is necessary to examine Venus and Orual’s roles and characteristics while keeping the male authors of the respective works in mind. ALL STAFF AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE WELCOME! For further information please contact: Dr Elke Steinmeyer Classics Programme University of KwaZulu-Natal 4041 Durban South Africa Tel: 0027312601306 Fax: 0027312602698 Email: steinmeyere1@ukzn.ac.za