# Power and Gender in The Demi-Gods

> Theme guide for The Demi-Gods by James Stephens.

Mary Mac Cann's desire for power and her role as a mother-figure to the men is examined, alongside a deep analysis of female beauty, women's worship of beauty, and the battle for dominance between the sexes.

## Where it surfaces

- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/chapters/xi): The chapter extensively analyzes Mary's desire for power, her domestic rule, and the broader dynamics of female beauty and ambition versus male authority.
- [Book IV: Mary Mac Cann](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/chapters/book-iv-mary-mac-cann): Mary Mac Cann's agency and role in the group reflect themes of gender and authority.
- [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/chapters/xxix): Mary and Eileen challenge Brien O'Brien physically, asserting their agency in a male-dominated encounter.
- [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/chapters/xxxi): Mary defies her father's patriarchal authority, asserting her own will and negotiating a solution that preserves the group's integrity.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/themes/power_and_gender
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_demi_gods_se/themes