The writings of Sappho, a woman poet/lyrist (b:625BC by one report) of Ancient Greek origin, have proved to be a lasting influence for generations of writers and readers. Her unique freedom to express her thoughts and cares and live as she wanted to was a hope and a goal for many. It's only in the last hundred or so years that women of Western cultures could 'boast' that kind of freedom. Still, she is a somewhat 'mysterious' figure in history. Sappho was the only woman writer to 'survive' her era, in the form of her poetry, which was originally written to be performed to the music of the lyre. Her loving odes (most directed to the gods or to other women) were once collected into nine books of verse, but now all that remains of her writing is fragments. It is rumored that the poet's body of work earned her the enmity of the Roman Catholic Church hundreds of years after her death, and that many of her writings were purposely destroyed. Though historians agree that Sappho was married (to a man) and spent years of her life on the Greek island of Lesbos, it is uncertain if she was born there, and there are many other missing details.
Academics and enthusiasts have varying observations on Sappho's verse, though taken out of their original context it's impossible to offer a 'definitive' summary of her work. The text links that appear below will take you to a small variety of webpages that either attempt to document Sappho's history, or give examples of her poetry.
SAPPHO.COM
Sappho Bio & Statue
"The Divine Sappho"
As Sappho's life and loves have been fragmented with time, Wonder Woman's origins have been re-written and overwritten. Despite a clear 'paper trail' dating back to the 1940's, there are still questions as to why she was created, and why she still 'exists' today. The creation of Dr. William Moulton Martson (aka "Charles Moulton"), Wonder Woman was a comics heroine steeped in Greco-Roman mythology; her powers the birth-gifts of her pantheon. "Charles Moulton" didn't always hew close to the classic interpretations of the Greek gods, and intermixed Roman names/deities with the Greek. But his own vision of the Amazons as merry, peace-loving sisters on a secluded tropical island has become a part of popular culture, a mythic fantasy at least as compelling as the stereotypical concept of Amazons as violent female warriors. Strangely, Wonder Woman's squeaky-clean origins and (typically) child-friendly adventures were seen by some academics and "professionals" as harmful or deceptive.
In one particularly noteworthy instance, Dr. Frederic Wertham (author of "Seduction of the Innocent") included Wonder Woman in diatribes concerning the indecency and immorality of comic books, and how these books were corrupting the nation's youth. Citing "lesbian overtones" and what he described as the "gay party girls" of Holliday College, Wertham did his best to portray Wonder Woman as a "lesbian menace" to the American public. In his book, "Wonder Woman: The Complete History," Les Daniels suggests that Moulton/Marston made things worse for himself by including a "Sapphic" pun as an ongoing joke, of sorts. Like the familiar exclamations associated with Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman was given a small lexicon of her own unique exclamations, among them, "Suffering Sappho!" The frequent use of this short phrase was an oblique reference to lesbianism at best, but it did help to draw attention to the possible similarities between Lesbos and Paradise Island.
Eventually the rest of popular culture caught up with the 'morality' of comics, and Wonder Woman's exclamations took on a quaint air. Former DC Comics editor Robert Kanigher, whose 1960's work on Wonder Woman mimicked that of Marston, offered the following explanation of "Suffering Sappho!" to a comics reader who wanted to know what it meant: "Sappho was so sensitive she couldn't stand suffering in any form." Kanigher's suggestion that Sappho was known for her "suffering" is a simple-minded answer, but given the uncertainty of her life in ancient times, you have to give him credit for not making things more complicated.
I chose the Web domain name "sufferingsappho" for two reasons. First, I wanted a short phrase that Wonder Woman fans would likely recognize. This task was complicated by the number of existing domains devoted to the character and her history, many of which are owned by DC Comics or Warners. My second reason for choosing this name was that I thought it might reflect the recognition Wonder Woman receives in the Gay & Lesbian community. I won't offer any explanations or cliche's about "strong female role models," and how they are upheld by lesbians, gay men and feminists. Nor do I suggest that Wonder Woman and/or the Amazons are lesbians, though that possibility can't be ruled out. I will say that if there are lesbians on Paradise Island/Themyscira, it shouldn't be a shock to anyone. Immortality doesn't preclude the possibility of sexuality, and in a culture as creative, artistic, and (dare I say it) nurturing as that of Marston's Amazons, abstinence would be tantamount to becoming a hermit.
I welcome you to Suffering Sappho.Com, with the hopes that you will discover new things about Wonder Woman, and find friendly reminders of our shared joys as Wonder Woman fans.
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