Femme fatale - Wikipedia

A femme fatale sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, ... Femmefatale FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch Stockfemalecharacter–beautifulbutdangerous Forotheruses,seeFemmeFatale(disambiguation). Femmesfataleswerestandardfareinhardboiledcrimestoriesin1930spulpfiction. Afemmefatale(/ˌfɛmfəˈtæl/or/ˌfɛmfəˈtɑːl/;French: [famfatal]),sometimescalledamaneater[1]orvamp,isastockcharacterofamysterious,beautiful,andseductivewomanwhosecharmsensnareherlovers,oftenleadingthemintocompromising,deadlytraps.Sheisanarchetypeofliteratureandart.Herabilitytoenchant,enticeandhypnotizehervictimwithaspellwasintheearlieststoriesseenasvergingonsupernatural;hence,thefemmefataletodayisstilloftendescribedashavingapowerakintoanenchantress,seductress,witch,havingpowerovermen.Femmesfatalesaretypicallyvillainous,oratleastmorallyambiguous,andalwaysassociatedwithasenseofmystification,andunease.[2] ThetermoriginatesfromtheFrenchphrasefemmefatale,whichmeans'deadlywoman'or'lethalwoman'.Afemmefataletriestoachieveherhiddenpurposebyusingfemininewilessuchasbeauty,charm,orsexualallure.Inmanycases,herattitudetowardssexualityislackadaisical,intriguing,orfrivolous.Insomecases,sheusesliesorcoercionratherthancharm.Shemayalsomakeuseofsomesubduingweaponsuchassleepinggas,amodernanalogofmagicalpowersinoldertales.Shemayalsobe(orimplythatsheis)avictim,caughtinasituationfromwhichshecannotescape.[3]Ayoungerorunderageversionofafemmefataleiscalledafillefatale,fromtheFrenchphrasefor'deadlygirl'. InAmericanearly20th-centuryfilms,afemmefatalecharacterwasreferredtoasavamp,areferencetoTheVampire,PhilipBurne-Jones's1897painting,andRudyardKipling'slater1897poem,andthe1909playand1915filmAFoolThereWas. Femalemobsters(includingItalian-AmericanMafiaorRussianMafia)havebeenportrayedasfemmesfatalesinfilmsnoir.[4]FemmesfatalesappearinJamesBondfilms. Contents 1History 1.1Ancientarchetypes 1.2EarlyWesternculturetothe19thcentury 1.320th-centurygenres 1.3.1Early20thcentury 1.3.2PostWWII 1.3.31980stothepresent 2Useincriminaltrials 3Seealso 4References 5Furtherreading History[edit] Ancientarchetypes[edit] ThedivinefemmefataleofHindumythology,ApsaraMohiniisdescribedtohaveenchantedgods,demonsandsagesalike. Thefemmefatalearchetypeexistsintheculture,folkloreandmythsofmanycultures.[5]AncientmythicalorlegendaryexamplesincludeInanna,Lilith,Circe,Medea,Clytemnestra,Lesbia,TamamonoMaeandVishaKanyas.HistoricalexamplesfromclassicaltimesincludeCleopatraandMessalina,aswellasthebiblicalfiguresDelilah,Jezebel,andSalome.[6]AnexamplefromChineseliteratureandtraditionalhistoryisDaji. EarlyWesternculturetothe19thcentury[edit] ThefemmefatalewasacommonfigureintheEuropeanMiddleAges,oftenportrayingthedangersofunbridledfemalesexuality.Thepre-medievalinheritedbiblicalfigureofEveoffersanexample,asdoesthewicked,seductiveenchantresstypifiedinMorganleFay.TheQueenoftheNightinMozart'sTheMagicFluteshowshermoremutedpresenceduringtheAgeofEnlightenment.[7] ThefemmefataleflourishedintheRomanticperiodintheworksofJohnKeats,notably"LaBelleDamesansMerci"and"Lamia".Alongwiththem,thererosethegothicnovelTheMonkfeaturingMatilda,averypowerfulfemmefatale.ThisledtoherappearingintheworkofEdgarAllanPoe,andasthevampire,notablyinCarmillaandBridesofDracula.TheMonkwasgreatlyadmiredbytheMarquisdeSade,forwhomthefemmefatalesymbolisednotevil,butallthebestqualitiesofwomen;hisnovelJulietteisperhapstheearliestwhereinthefemmefataletriumphs.Pre-Raphaelitepaintersfrequentlyusedtheclassicpersonificationsofthefemmefataleasasubject. Salomeina1906paintingbyFranzvonStuck IntheWesterncultureofthelate19thandearly20thcenturies,thefemmefatalebecameamorefashionabletrope,[8]andsheisfoundinthepaintingsoftheartistsEdvardMunch,GustavKlimt,FranzvonStuckandGustaveMoreau.ThenovelÀreboursbyJoris-KarlHuysmansincludesthesefeveredimaginingsaboutanimageofSalomeinaMoreaupainting:[9] Nolongerwasshemerelythedancing-girlwhoextortsacryoflustandconcupiscencefromanoldmanbythelasciviouscontortionsofherbody;whobreaksthewill,mastersthemindofaKingbythespectacleofherquiveringbosoms,heavingbellyandtossingthighs;shewasnowrevealedinasenseasthesymbolicincarnationofworld-oldVice,thegoddessofimmortalHysteria,theCurseofBeautysupremeaboveallotherbeautiesbythecatalepticspasmthatstirsherfleshandsteelshermuscles,–amonstrousBeastoftheApocalypse,indifferent,irresponsible,insensible,poisoning.— Joris-KarlHuysmans,Àrebours,SistersofSalome In1891,OscarWilde,inhisplaySalome:shemanipulatesherlust-crazeduncle,KingHerod,withherenticingDanceoftheSevenVeils(Wilde'sinvention)toagreetoherimperiousdemand:"bringmetheheadofJohntheBaptist".Later,SalomewasthesubjectofanoperabyStrauss,andwaspopularizedonstage,screen,andpeep-showboothincountlessreincarnations.[10] Shealsoisseenasaprominentfigureinlate19th-and20th-centuryopera,appearinginRichardWagner'sParsifal(Kundry),GeorgesBizet's"Carmen",CamilleSaint-Saëns'"SamsonetDelilah"andAlbanBerg's"Lulu"(basedontheplays"Erdgeist"and"DieBüchsederPandora"byFrankWedekind). OtherconsiderablyfamousfemmesfatalesareIsabellaofFrance,HeddaGablerofKristiania(nowOslo),MarieAntoinetteofAustria,and,mostfamously,LucreziaBorgia. 20th-centurygenres[edit] Thissectionmaycontainindiscriminate,excessive,orirrelevantexamples.Pleaseimprovethearticlebyaddingmoredescriptivetextandremovinglesspertinentexamples.SeeWikipedia'sguidetowritingbetterarticlesforfurthersuggestions.(May2019) Early20thcentury[edit] TheVampire,1897,PhilipBurne-Jones(1861–1926). ActressThedaBara,inthefilmAFoolThereWas. MrsPatrickCampbell AliceHollister,starofthe1913filmTheVampirebyRobertVignola[11] MrsPatrickCampbell,GeorgeBernardShaw's"secondfamedplatonicloveaffair",(shepublishedsomeofhisletters)[12][13]andPhilipBurne-Jones'sloverandsubjectofhis1897painting,TheVampire,inspiredBurne-Jones'scousinRudyardKiplingtowritehispoem"TheVampire",intheyearDraculawaspublished.[14][15][16][17]Thepoem,whichbegan:"Afooltherewas ...",[18]inspiredPorterEmersonBrownetowritetheplay,AFoolThereWas,becominga1909Broadwayproduction,andleadingtothe1915film,AFoolThereWasstarringThedaBara,as"TheVamp".[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Theshortpoemmayhavebeenusedinthepublicityforthe1915film.[citationneeded]1910sAmericanslangforfemmefatalewasvamp,forvampire.[27][28][21] AnothericonisMargarethaGeertruidaZelle.Whileworkingasanexoticdancer,shetookthestagenameMataHari.ShewasaccusedofGermanespionageandwasputtodeathbyaFrenchfiringsquad.Afterherdeathshebecamethesubjectofmanysensationalfilmsandbooks. The1913filmTheVampirebyRobertVignola,containsa"vamp"dance.[29]ProtagonistAliceHollisterwaspublicisedas"theoriginalvampire".[11][30][31] Femmesfatalesappearindetectivefiction,especiallyinits'hard-boiled'sub-genrewhichlargelyoriginatedwiththecrimestoriesofDashiellHammettinthe1920s.Attheendofthatdecade,theFrench-CanadianvillainessMariedeSabrevoisgaveacontemporaryedgetotheotherwisehistoricalnovelsofKennethRobertssetduringtheAmericanRevolution. Filmvillainessoftenappearedforeign,oftenofEasternEuropeanorAsianancestry.TheywereacontrasttothewholesomepersonaesofactressessuchasLillianGishandMaryPickford.Notablesilent-cinemavampsincludedThedaBara,HelenGardner,LouiseGlaum,ValeskaSuratt,Musidora,VirginiaPearson,OlgaPetrova,RosemaryTheby,NitaNaldi,PolaNegri,EstelleTaylor,JettaGoudal,and,inearlyappearances,MyrnaLoy. PostWWII[edit] "TemptressoftheTowerofTortureandSin",coverillustrationforthestoryintheAvonFantasyReader,1950. Duringthefilm-noireraofthe1940sandearly-1950s,thefemmefataleflourishedinAmericancinema.ExamplesincludeBrigidO'Shaughnessy,portrayedbyMaryAstor,whomurdersSamSpade'spartnerinTheMalteseFalcon(1941);manipulativenarcissisticdaughterVeda(portrayedbyAnnBlyth)inMildredPiercewhoexploitsherindulgentmotherMildred(portrayedbyJoanCrawford)andfatallydestroyshermother'sremarriagetostepfatherMonteBarragon(portrayedbyZacharyScott);GeneTierneyasEllenBrentHarlandinLeaveHertoHeaven(1945),andthecabaretsingerportrayedbyRitaHayworthinGilda(1946),[32]narcissisticwiveswhomanipulatetheirhusbands;PhyllisDietrichson(BarbaraStanwyck)inDoubleIndemnity(1944),AvaGardnerinTheKillersandCora(LanaTurner)inThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice,basedonnovelsbyErnestHemingwayandJamesM.Cainrespectively,manipulatemenintokillingtheirhusbands.[32] IntheHitchcockfilmTheParadineCase(1947),AlidaValli'scharactercausesthedeathsoftwomenandtheneardestructionofanother.AnotherfrequentlycitedexampleisthecharacterJaneplayedbyLizabethScottinTooLateforTears(1949);duringherquesttokeepsomedirtymoneyfromitsrightfulrecipientandherhusband,sheusespoison,lies,sexualteasingandaguntokeepmenwrappedaroundherfinger.JaneGreerremainsnotableasamurderousfemmefataleusingherwilesonRobertMitchuminOutofthePast(1947).InHitchcock's1940filmandDaphneduMaurier's1938novelRebecca,theeponymousfemmefatalecompletelydominatestheplot,eventhoughsheisalreadydeadandweneverseeanimageofher.RockyandBullwinkle'sNatashaFatale,acurvaceousspy,takeshernamefromthefemmefatalestockcharacter. 1980stothepresent[edit] Thefemmefatalehascarriedontothepresentday,infilmssuchasBodyHeat(1981)andPrizzi'sHonor(1985)–bothwithKathleenTurner,BladeRunner(1982)withSeanYoung,BlueVelvet(1986)withIsabellaRossellini,FatalAttraction(1987)withGlennClose,TheWitcheswithAnjelicaHuston,BasicInstinct(1992)withSharonStone,Damage(1992)withJulietteBinoche,TheLastSeduction(1994)withLindaFiorentino,ToDieFor(1995)withNicoleKidman,LostHighway(1997)withPatriciaArquette,DevilintheFlesh(1998)andJawbreaker(1999),bothwithRoseMcGowan,OriginalSin(2001)withAngelinaJolie,FemmeFatale(2002)withRebeccaRomijn,andJennifer'sBody(2009),withMeganFox.In2013,TaniaRaymondeplayedthetitleroleinJodiArias:DirtyLittleSecret.In2014,EvaGreenportrayedafemmefataleinSinCity:ADametoKillForandRosamundPikestarredinGoneGirl. AcademyAward-winningactressMarionCotillardhasfrequentlyplayedfemmesfatales,insuchfilmsasAPrivateAffair(2002),AVeryLongEngagement,TheBlackBox,Inception,MidnightinParis,TheDarkKnightRisesandMacbeth.NicoleKidmanhasalsoplayedafewfemmesfatalesinfilmsasToDieFor,ThePaperboyandMoulinRouge!. ThearchetypeisalsoabundantlyfoundinAmericantelevision.OneofthemostfamousfemmesfatalesofAmericantelevisionisSherilynFenn'sAudreyHorneoftheDavidLynchcultseriesTwinPeaks.IntheTVseriesFemmeFatales,actressTanitPhoenixplayedLilith,thehostwhointroducedeachepisodeRodSerling-styleandoccasionallyappearedwithinthenarrative.IntheNetflixTVseriesOrangeIstheNewBlack,actressLauraPreponplayedAlexVause,amodernfemmefatale,wholedbothmenandwomentotheirdestruction. Femmesfatalesalsoappearfrequentlyincomicbooks.NotableexamplesincludeBatman'slong-timenemesisCatwoman,whofirstappearedincomicsin1940,andvariousadversariesofTheSpirit,suchasP'Gell. Thisstockcharacterisalsooftenfoundinthegenresofoperaandmusicaltheatre,whereshewilltraditionallyhaveamezzo,altoorcontraltorange,opposedtotheingénue'ssoprano,tosymbolizethemasculinityandlackoffemininepurity.AnexampleisHélènefromNatasha,PierreandtheGreatCometof1812. Useincriminaltrials[edit] Thetermhasbeenusedbythemediainconnectionwithhighlypublicisedcriminaltrials,suchasthetrialsofJodiArias[33][34]andAmandaKnox.[35] Seealso[edit]  Literatureportal References[edit] ^Cope,Rebecca(11March2014)."BestFilmFemmeFatales".Harper'sBazaar. ^MaryAnnDoane,FemmeFatales(1991)pp.1–2 ^TheLadyfromShanghai ^Hanson,Philip(2008)."TheArcofNationalConfidenceandtheBirthofFilmNoir,1929–1941".JournalofAmericanStudies.42(3):387–414.doi:10.1017/S0021875808005501.ISSN 0021-8758.JSTOR 40464308.S2CID 145788781.Retrieved5May2022. ^MarioPraz,TheRomanticAgony,ch.IV,p.199:LaBelleDamesansMerci(TheBeautifulLadywithoutMercy).London/NewYork,1933–1951–1970(OxfordUniversityPress). ^MarioPraz(1970)TheRomanticAgony.OxfordUniversityPress:199,213–216,222,250,258,259,272,277,282,377 ^C.G.Junged,ManandhisSymbols(1978)p.187 ^JillScott,ElectraafterFreud(2005)p.66 ^HuysmansÀrebours–ToniBentley(2002)SistersofSalome:24 ^ToniBentley(2002)SistersofSalome ^abKalemFilmsTheLotusWoman.MovingPictureWorld.1916.p. 1074. ^Campbell,MrsPatrick(1922).MyLifeandSomeLetters.NewYork:Dodd,MeadandCompany.Retrieved9October2016. ^"Shaw'sVampire".Time.April22,1940.ArchivedfromtheoriginalonMarch21,2009.RetrievedAugust9,2008. ^"TheVampirebyRudyardKipling–Poems|AcademyofAmericanPoets". ^"BritishLibrary". ^"Archivedcopy".artmagick.com.Archivedfromtheoriginalon7February2010.Retrieved17January2022.{{citeweb}}:CS1maint:archivedcopyastitle(link) ^https://muse.jhu.edu/article/479931/summary ^"TheVampire". ^"ProgressiveSilentFilmList:AFoolThereWas".www.silentera.com. ^"ThedaBara(1885–1955)".JewishVirtualLibrary.RetrievedApril21,2021. ^abAdinolfi,Francesco(2008).MondoExotica:Sounds,Visions,ObsessionsoftheCocktailGeneration.TranslatedbyPinkus,Karen;Vivrette,Jason.Durham:DukeUniversityPress.p. 24.ISBN 9780822341321.OCLC 179838406. ^"VampingItup:RudyardKipling,ThedaBara&the20thCenturyFemmeFatale".31May2014. ^"TheVampirebyRudyardKiplingonQuill&Brush,Inc". ^"Thevampire :Apoem :WrittenforapicturebyPhilipBurne-JonesexhibitedattheNewGalleryinLondon,1897/,byRudyardKipling|theOnlineBooksPage". ^Kipling,Rudyard(1898)."TheVampire:APoem :WrittenforaPicturebyPhilipBurne-JonesExhibitedattheNewGalleryinLondon,1897". ^"TheVampire(Painting)–theArtandPopularCultureEncyclopedia". ^PertheOxfordEnglishDictionary,vampisoriginallyEnglish,usedfirstbyG.K.Chesterton,butpopularizedintheAmericansilentfilmTheVamp,starringEnidBennett ^"Vamp",OxfordEnglishDictionary;retrieved30December2016 ^JohnT.Soister,AmericanSilentHorror,ScienceFictionandFantasyFeatureFilms,1913–1929,McFarland,2012,p.41 ^GreenroomJottings.MotionPictureStoryMagazine.1914.p. 136. ^Who'swhoinpictures.MotionPictureMagazine.1918.pp. 51. ^abJohnston,Sheila(27February2009)."Whateverhappenedtothefemmefatale?".TheIndependent.ArchivedfromtheoriginalonFebruary28,2009.Retrieved27February2009. ^Ortiz,Erik."JodiArias:Femmefataleorwomanoffaith?JurorshearconflictingpersonainmurdertrialasprosecutorsplayphonecallsofAriaslying". ^"JodiAriasTrialUpdate:LawyerRevealsFemmeFataleWasTerrifiedDuringSentencing".15April2015.Retrieved2015-04-30. ^"AmandaKnoxisnofemmefatale,defencelawyersays".BBCNews.27September2011.Retrieved2015-04-30. Furtherreading[edit] DominiqueMainonandJamesUrsini(2009)Femmefatale,ISBN 0879103698.Examinesthecontextoffilmnoir. GiuseppeScaraffia(2009)Femmefatale,ISBN 9788838903960 JulieGrossman(2020)TheFemmeFatale,ISBN 9780813598246.AbriefhistoryofthefemmefataleincinemaandTV. ToniBentley(2002)SistersofSalome,ISBN 9780803262416.Salomeconsideredasanarchetypeoffemaledesireandtransgressionandastheultimatefemmefatale. BramDijkstra(1986)IdolsofPerversity:FantasiesofFeminineEvilinFin-De-SiecleCulture,ISBN 0195056523.DiscussestheFemmefatale-stereotype. BramDijkstra(1996)EvilSisters:TheThreatofFemaleSexualityinTwentieth-CenturyCulture,ISBN 0805055495. ElizabethK.MixEvilByDesign:TheCreationandMarketingoftheFemmeFatale,ISBN 9780252073236.DiscussestheoriginoftheFemmefatalein19th-centuryFrenchpopularculture. MarioPraz(1933)TheRomanticAgony,ISBN 9780192810618.Seechaptersfour,'LaBelleDameSansMerci',andfive,'Byzantium'. JulieGrossman(2009)RethinkingtheFemmeFataleinfilmnoir:Readyforherclose-up,ISBN 9781349313341.Triestobringaboutamorenuancedandsympatheticreadingofthe"femmefatale"infilmcriticismandpopularculturecommentary. vteStockcharacters List Archetype ByethicsandmoralityHeroesClassichero Actionhero Christfigure Everyman Folkhero Knight-errant Legacyhero Mythologicalking Paladin Superhero Youngestson Antihero Byronichero Manalone Tragichero Other Cyberhero Supersoldier RoguesLovablerogue Gentlemandetective Jack Trickster Trickyslave Zanni(servants,clowns:Harlequin, Brighella, Scapino, Pulcinella and Pierrot) Outlaw Badboy Gentlemanthief Pirate Airpirate Spacepirate Other Goodcop/badcop Rake VillainsAntivillains Falsehero Themole Doubleagent Eviltwin SocialDarwinist Darklord Madscientist Supervillain Monsters Bug-eyedmonster Evilclown Killertoy Monstergirl Skeleton Swampmonster Vampires Zombies Other Alazon Archenemy Folkdevil Igor MaskedMysteryVillain Miser Vecchio(wealthyoldmen,PantaloneandIlDottore) IlCapitano(selfstyledcaptain,braggart) BysexandgenderFeminineLoveinterest Bishōjo Farmer'sdaughter Girlnextdoor Hookerwithaheartofgold Ingénue Loosuponnu Magicalgirlfriend Catgirl Monstergirl ManicPixieDreamGirl Hag Catlady Crone Fairygodmother LaRuffiana Loathlylady Hawksianwoman DragonLady Femmefatale Tsundere Womanwarrior Junglegirl Magicalgirl Queenbee Princesselointaine Southernbelle Valleygirl Yamatonadeshiko LGBT ClassS Laotong Lady-in-waiting Columbina Mammystereotype Geekgirl Gamergirl Damselindistress Finalgirl Princessanddragon MasculineHarlequin Pierrot Fatherfigure Wiseoldman Elderlymartialartsmaster Young Americanmappillai Himbo IvantheFool Jack Jock LittleJohnny Niceguy NiceJewishboy Superfluousman PrinceCharming Bishōnen Knight-errant Primitive Feralchild Noblesavage Caveman Moleman Mountainman LGBT Semeanduke Otokonoko Badboy Pachuco Blackknight Others Adolescentcliques Barbarian Clown Dragonslayer Donor Fool Imaginaryfriend Innamorati("TheLovers") Littlegreenmen MagicalNegro Popicon Redshirt Shoulderangel Sidekick Straightman Tokenism Towndrunk Tragicmulatto Truck-kun Villageidiot Whitesavior Authoritycontrol:Nationallibraries Germany Israel UnitedStates Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Femme_fatale&oldid=1098516350" Categories:FemalestockcharactersWomenandpsychologyCulturaldepictionsofwomenPersianliteraturebygenreHiddencategories:CS1maint:archivedcopyastitleArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionisdifferentfromWikidataArticleswithtoomanyexamplesfromMay2019AllarticleswithtoomanyexamplesWikipediaarticleswithstyleissuesfromMay2019AllarticleswithunsourcedstatementsArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromSeptember2019ArticlescontainingJapanese-languagetextArticleswithGNDidentifiersArticleswithJ9UidentifiersArticleswithLCCNidentifiers Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English Views ReadEditViewhistory More Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Inotherprojects WikimediaCommons Languages AsturianuAzərbaycancaBrezhonegCatalàČeštinaDanskDeutschEestiΕλληνικάEspañolEsperantoEuskaraفارسیFrançaisGàidhligGalego한국어ՀայերենHrvatskiBahasaIndonesiaItalianoעבריתLatinaLietuviųNederlands日本語NorskbokmålPolskiPortuguêsRomânăРусскийScotsSimpleEnglishکوردیСрпски/srpskiSrpskohrvatski/српскохрватскиSuomiSvenskaTürkçeУкраїнськаاردوTiếngViệt中文 Editlinks