article

In defiance of destiny: the management of time and gender at a Cretan funeral

American ethnologist • 20 (2) • Published In 1993 • Pages: 241-255

By: Herzfeld, Michael.

Abstract

In this article, Herzfeld focuses on a village funeral in west-central Crete. He taped the widow's funerary lament and had the opportunity to discuss it with her a year later. Laments are a rare chance for women to speak publicly and express the pain of bereavement and their concern about being left alone and unprotected. Herzfeld sees laments as a preemptive strike to secure a woman's good name and maintain her status in the community. In this particular case, although a daughter lost her father, she later 'married off' her younger sister and herself, thus escaping a fate of spinsterhood and poverty.

HRAF PubDate

2003

Region

Europe

Sub Region

Southeastern Europe

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard ; 2002

Field Date

1974

Coverage Date

1974

Coverage Place

'Glendi', Crete, Greece

Notes

Michael Herzfeld

Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-255)

LCCN

74644326

LCSH

Greece