Michal the Giver and Michal the Taker: The Systematic Misogyny of the Davidic Court

This article examines the misogyny of the Davidic court through the lens of philosopher Kate Manne’s recent study Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, which illustrates how the individual deeds or words perceived as misogynistic fit into a well-ordered system. In particular, it analyzes how Michal is treated differently by Saul and David in 1 Samuel 19 and 2 Samuel 6 compared to other male characters, such as Jonathan. Within a patriarchal society, misogyny is the policing arm which differentiates between good women and bad women, or those who conform to the gendered norms and expectations of the patriarchy and those who do not. When a woman, like Michal, fails to uphold her role supporting the elite men in her life, the men must swiftly respond not only to ameliorate her threatening position, but also to warn other women, both inside and outside the text, against similar behavior.