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Ruby Blondell

{{Short description|Professor of classics and gender studies}}

Ruby Blondell is Professor Emerita of Classics and Adjunct Professor Emerita of Gender, Women, & Sexuality Studies at the University of Washington; prior to retirement, they were the Byron W. and Alice L. Lockwood Professor of Humanities also at the University of Washington.{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/people/ruby-blondell|title=Ruby Blondell {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}} Their research centres on Greek intellectual history, gender studies, and the reception of ancient myth in contemporary culture.{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/people/ruby-blondell|title=Ruby Blondell {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}

Career

Blondell completed their BA and MA in Classics at the University of Oxford (1978 and 1981, respectively), before receiving their PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984.{{Cite web|url=https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/2387|title=Bio: Ruby Blondell|website=chs.harvard.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}} Their doctoral thesis was entitled Helping Friends and Harming Enemies: A Study in Sophocles and Greek Ethics.{{Cite book|last=Blondell|first=Ruby|url=http://oskicat.berkeley.edu/search~S1?/XRuby+Blondell&searchscope=1&SORT=DX/XRuby+Blondell&searchscope=1&SORT=DX&SUBKEY=Ruby+Blondell/1,24,24,B/frameset&FF=XRuby+Blondell&searchscope=1&SORT=DX&23,23,|title=Helping friends and harming enemies: a study in Sophocles and Greek ethics|date=1989|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-35116-4|location=Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York, NY, USA}}

Upon the completion of their PhD, Blondell was a lecturer at Harvard University, before moving to the University of Washington in 1985, where they have taught until retirement in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/2387|title=Bio: Ruby Blondell|website=chs.harvard.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}} Their teaching responsibilities were centred on topics of Greek literature (especially Greek tragedy), and Greek intellectual history and culture.

Blondell has held various positions within the Society for Classical Studies (formerly the American Philological Society) and the Women's Classical Caucus;{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/people/ruby-blondell|title=Ruby Blondell {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}} and was a former treasurer for the Lambda Classical Caucus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambdacc.org/officers.html|title=Lambda Classical Caucus|website=www.lambdacc.org|access-date=2019-05-21}} In 2014 Blondell was awarded the inaugural Lambda Classical Caucus Activism Award;{{Cite web |title=Lambda Classical Caucus |url=http://www.lambdacc.org/awards/activism.html |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=www.lambdacc.org}} and, in 2019, they were also awarded the Women's Classical Caucus Leadership Award.{{Cite web |title=Award & Prize Winners |url=https://www.wccclassics.org/award-winners |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=THE WOMEN'S CLASSICAL CAUCUS (WCC) |language=en-US}}

Research Publications

Blondell has published widely on topics of Greek intellectual history, gender studies, and the reception of myth in contemporary culture,{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/people/ruby-blondell|title=Ruby Blondell {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}} including the following four monographs:

  • Helen of Troy in Hollywood (Martin Classical Lectures Series: Princeton University Press, 2023), developed from their 2015 Martin Lectures at Oberlin College.{{Cite book |url=https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691229621/helen-of-troy-in-hollywood |title=Helen of Troy in Hollywood |date=2023-08-01 |isbn=978-0-691-22962-1 |language=en |last1=Blondell |first1=Ruby |publisher=Princeton University Press }}{{Cite web |title=Ruby Blondell Launches 1000 Ships at Oberlin {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington |url=https://classics.washington.edu/news/2015/11/20/ruby-blondell-launches-1000-ships-oberlin |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=classics.washington.edu}}
  • {{cite book |doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199731602.001.0001 |title=Helen of Troy |date=2013 |last1=Blondell |first1=Ruby |isbn=978-0-19-973160-2 }}{{cite journal |last1=Lyons |first1=Deborah |title=Review of: Helen of Troy: Beauty, Myth, Devastation |journal=Bryn Mawr Classical Review |date=20 June 2017 |url=https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2017/2017.06.20 }}
  • The Play of Character in Plato's Dialogues (Cambridge University Press, 2002).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/play-character-platos-dialogues|title=The Play of Character in Plato's Dialogues {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}{{Cite journal|url=http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2002/2002-12-02.html|title=BMCR Review of 'The Play of Character in Plato's Dialogues'|journal=Bryn Mawr Classical Review }}
  • Helping Friends and Harming Enemies: A Study in Sophocles and Greek Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 1989), published under previous name Mary Whitlock Blundell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/helping-friends-and-harming-enemies/BEA9EEEDA492750500A96D5612C973C|title=Helping Friends and Harming Enemies}}

Blondell has edited several collections focused on gender and sexuality in the ancient world:

  • Humoerotica, co-edited with Sandra Boehringer (Archimede 5, 2018).{{Cite web|url=http://archimede.unistra.fr/revue-archimede/archimede-5-2018/|title=Archimède 5. 2018 - Archéologie et histoire ancienne : Méditerranée – Europe (ArcHiMèdE) - Université de Strasbourg|website=archimede.unistra.fr|access-date=2019-05-21}}
  • Ancient Sex: New Essays, co-edited with Kirk Ormand - part of the Classical Memories/Modern Identities series (Ohio University Press, 2015).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/ancient-sex-new-essays|title=Ancient Sex: New Essays {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}{{Cite journal|url=http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2016/2016-03-16.html|title=BMCR Review 'Ancient Sex'|journal=Bryn Mawr Classical Review }}{{Cite web|url=https://ohiostatepress.org/|title=The Ohio State University Press|website=ohiostatepress.org|access-date=2019-05-21}}
  • Queer Icons from Greece and Rome (Helios 35.2, 2008).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/queer-icons-greece-and-rome-edited-introduction|title=Queer Icons from Greece and Rome (edited, with an Introduction) {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}{{cite journal |last1=Blondell |first1=Ruby |title=Introduction |journal=Helios |date=2008 |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=113–119 |doi=10.1353/hel.0.0013 |s2cid=246033228 |id={{Project MUSE|268395}} }}
  • Ancient Mediterranean Women in Modern Mass Media, co-edited with Mary-Kay Gamel (Helios 32.2, 2005).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/ancient-mediterranean-women-modern-mass-media-edited-introduction|title=Ancient Mediterranean Women in Modern Mass Media (edited, with an Introduction) {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}

They have also produced several translations of the works of Sophocles and Euripides, including:

  • Sophocles: The Theban Plays, Antigone, King Oidipous, Oidipous at Colonus; Updated Translations with Introductory Essay and Notes (Focus Classical Library, Newburyport MA 2002).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/sophocles-theban-plays-antigone-king-oidipous-oidipous-colonus-updated|title=Sophocles: The Theban Plays, Antigone, King Oidipous, Oidipous at Colonus; Updated Translations with Introductory Essay and Notes {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}
  • Sophocles: Oidipous at Colonus, Translated with Introduction, Notes and Interpretive Essay (first published 1990; revised edition 2002; Focus Classical Library, Newburyport MA).{{Cite web|url=http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/1991/02.05.02.html|title=BMCR Review}}
  • Women on the Edge: Four Plays by Euripides, co-authored with Bella Zweig, Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz and Mary-Kay Gamel (Routledge, New York and London 1999).{{Cite web|url=https://classics.washington.edu/research/publications/women-edge-four-plays-euripides|title=Women on the Edge: Four Plays by Euripides {{!}} Department of Classics {{!}} University of Washington|website=classics.washington.edu|access-date=2019-05-21}}

Media

Blondell has featured in the following media broadcasts discussing their research:

  • Let's Talk about Myths, Baby!, Conversations: The Face that Lit a Thousand* Screens, Helen of Troy w/ Ruby Blondell (2023).{{Cite web |title=Conversations: The Face That Lit a Thousand* Screens, Helen of Troy in Hollywood w/ Ruby Blondell - Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! Greek & Roman Mythology Retold |url=https://omny.fm/shows/lets-talk-about-myths-baby/conversations-the-face-that-lit-a-thousand-screens |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=omny.fm |language=en}}
  • Forgotten Hollywood, Episode 159, discussing 'Helen of Troy in Hollywood' (2023).{{Cite web |title=Episode 159 author Ruby Blondell |url=https://www.spreaker.com/user/jljmedia/episode-159-author-ruby-blondell |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Spreaker |language=en}}
  • Letter of Liberty Podcast, Episode 19, discussing 'Helen of Troy' (2018).{{Cite web|url=https://letter-of-liberty.pinecast.co/episode/7eb2b374-a98c-4b12-9045-e1e12be24218|title=Episode 19 - Interview with Ruby Blondell on Helen of Troy|date=2018-07-12|website=Letter of Liberty|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-21}}
  • Interviewed for 'Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines', directed by Kristy Guevara-Flanagan (2012).{{Citation|title=Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2070853/|access-date=2019-05-21}}

References

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Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford

Category:American classical scholars

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)