The Femme Fatale

1. The Femme Fatale The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve Representations Of Eve Paul Rudd BSSC 2001/2003

2. A Representation of Power The Femme Fatale is an enduring representation of a powerful woman as seen by Western society. This representation is so pervasive that it is now a commonly occurring stereotype that can be found in many different media, literary and art texts. She is always a powerful woman, able to manipulate the people around her to get her own way. She is generally dominating and authoritative. She is never submissive.

3. She is often depicted dressed in animal skins – particularly those of predators, such as tigers and leopards. This is because she is portrayed as a predator herself – a cat that often toys with her prey. She will stop at nothing to get her own way – even murder. In this way, the femme fatale represents society’s traditional fear of powerful women… The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

4. Consider the following clues. She is wearing animal skins, and particularly the furs of predatory cats (leopards). She is assertive and confident in her posture and facial expression. She is wearing fishnet stockings – lingerie is a common part of her costuming. She is looking directly at the camera. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

5. Do you think this image is of a femme fatale? Why/why not? The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

6. Most people would probably say ‘No’. Consider the following visual clues. She has an expression of confusion or worry that is more submissive than assertive. She is wearing clothing made from a soft, pastel material. Her pose is reminiscent of a young girl: defensive and insecure. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve She is sitting on the floor.

7. The Undoing Of The Man… The femme fatale is often portrayed as the cause of a man’s downfall, as well as her own. She is often shown seducing a man and using her ‘feminine guile’ to hold him in bondage to her. But this was historically seen as being unnatural. Throughout history, people believed that women were meant to be subordinate to men. If a woman was too powerful, then she inevitably caused trouble. By seeking to dominate, she defied her own nature and inevitably was destroyed. Similarly, if a man allowed himself to be dominated by her, he was bound to end up in strife; usually with the law… The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

8. With a haughty pose and a defiant air, this model recreates the stereotyped femme fatale of the fifties – a period of history when this stereotype was particularly common. Often a femme fatale is dressed in flame- red, or red and black clothes. Bright red lipstick and nails are also common visual clues. She is also often represented as a spider – the so-called black widow. Her web is one of deceit and intrigue… The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

9. A femme fatale often makes an appearance in advertising – particularly for products that are specifically designed to make a woman more appealing or desirable! Some perfume and clothing retailers rely heavily upon this representation. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

10. Supporting Her Man… Most literature and media texts have, historically, portrayed a male as the central character of their narrative. This male-centric view has dominated literature and art for millennia. Female characters were (and often still are) defined as being either good (in that they served the interests of the hero) or bad (in that they thwarted the interests of the hero). The maternal figure, the supportive heroine, the tragic maiden who needs to be rescued are all historically portrayed as good women. The temptress, the shrew and the witch have nearly always been viewed as being bad. These are stereotypes. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

11. Has there been a more famous exponent of the femme fatale representation? How many other famous actors (or characters) can you think of that have played the part of the femme fatale? Make a list and compare it with your group or class! The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

12. Again we can see the femme fatale being used in advertising – this time to sell beer. The name of the product, ‘Tiger’ is reason enough to trot out this enduring stereotype. The caption in the box at the bottom says it all… ‘Discover the Tiger’. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

13. She is always the centre of attention; Here is a classic example of the femme fatale – again, found in a piece of advertising. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

14. Eve As The First Femme Fatale… Critics often argue that the representation of the femme fatale derives from the Biblical narrative of Adam and Eve. Eve tempted Adam to ‘eat the apple’ which led to them being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Do you think this argument is valid? If so, what do you think this reveals about society’s attitudes towards women when the Bible was written? Have many things changed in our own society? The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve

15. Lately there has been a strong movement to attack the social forces that perceive powerful women as being ‘bad’. Here, Jerry Hall is depicted as a femme fatale, with the tiger skin coat and all. And yet, she confronts the stereotype by being pictured breastfeeding her son. Is this still an image of a femme fatale? What do you think?

16. Homework Exercise: Find an image of a femme fatale in either a magazine or in a newspaper. Paste it into your workbook and write a 100 – 150 word report on why you think that this image is of a femme fatale. Make sure you write down the name of the publication from which you cut out the picture, the date it was printed, and the page number. Due next class. The Femme Fatale Representations Of Eve