Amy Norgard
Amy Norgard, associate professor of classics, published a chapter in edited volume “Women in Classical Video Games” (eds. Draycott and Cook, Bloomsbury), which was released on Sept. 8. Despite the prevalence of video games set in or inspired by classical antiquity, the medium has to date remained markedly understudied in the disciplines of classics and ancient history, with the role of women in these video games especially neglected. “Women in Classical Video Games” seeks to address this imbalance as the first book-length work of scholarship to examine the depiction of women in video games set in classical antiquity.
Norgard’s chapter contribution, “Bringing Down the Divine Patriarchy through Deicide in ‘Apotheon,’” analyzes how contemporary viewpoints of women and gender drive the deicide narrative of the indie platformer game “Apotheon” (Alientrap 2015), whereby the female deities in a post-apocalyptic Ancient Greece are instrumental in taking down the male deities in an attempt to restructure the gendered power dynamics of the Greek pantheon. Her chapter also discusses how gender difference can impact the playable space of a game, namely through fighting mechanics and battles. Norgard is very excited to be part of this fantastic project on the forefront of gaming studies.
Norgard’s chapter contribution, “Bringing Down the Divine Patriarchy through Deicide in ‘Apotheon,’” analyzes how contemporary viewpoints of women and gender drive the deicide narrative of the indie platformer game “Apotheon” (Alientrap 2015), whereby the female deities in a post-apocalyptic Ancient Greece are instrumental in taking down the male deities in an attempt to restructure the gendered power dynamics of the Greek pantheon. Her chapter also discusses how gender difference can impact the playable space of a game, namely through fighting mechanics and battles. Norgard is very excited to be part of this fantastic project on the forefront of gaming studies.
