Femme Fatale

For other uses, see Femme Fatale (disambiguation)

, Exotic Dancer and convicted Spy , made her name synonymous with ''femme fatale'' during WWI .]]

A ''femme fatale'' is a Stock Character , usually a Villain ous Woman who uses the malign power of Sexuality in order to ensnare the hapless Hero . The phrase is French for "deadly woman" or "fatal woman". She is typically portrayed as sexually insatiable. Although typically villainous, femme fatales have also been known to be Antihero ines in some stories and sometimes even repentant heroines. Today, the archetype is generally seen as a character who constantly crosses the line between good and evil, but despite any allegiance, acts rather unscrupulously. A ''femme fatale'' is a nexus of evil, whether it be her own, that of a lover, of a third party, or some combination thereof varies, but generally arises when a woman's traditional role as subservient lover comes into conflict with other goals. For this reason a modern Feminist woman may have quite a different evaluation of a so-called femme fatale in movies or fiction than a male companion.
Part of a femme fatale's power is to emotionally enslave her lover without his realising. What makes her a tragic character is that the reason behind her methods and actions cannot be explained, not even by the femme fatale. Her personality is a mystery to others---part of her attraction---and an abyss to herself.

HISTORY

'', Oct. 6, 1946 which features of the classic femme fatales, P'Gell.]]
She has existed, in one form or another, in folklore and myth in nearly all cultures. Some of the earliest examples include the Sumer ian goddess Ishtar and the Biblical Delilah . During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the ''femme fatale'' became ubiquitous in Western culture and can be found in the works of Oscar Wilde , Edvard Munch , Gustav Klimt , among others. This is likely to have been a reaction to women's movements and the changing role of women at the time. With the introduction of Film Noir in the 1940's , the femme fatale flourished in Pop Culture . Examples include Espionage Thriller s, and in a number of Adventure Comic Strips , such as '' The Spirit '' by Will Eisner , or '' Terry And The Pirates '' by Milton Caniff .

She is sometimes portrayed as a sort of sexual Vampire ; her dark appetites were thought to be able to leach away the virility and independence of her lovers, leaving them shells of their former selves. On this account, in earlier American Slang ''femmes fatales'' were often called " Vamp s", short for "vampire", so called because the characters drained the life from their victims. A classic portrayal of a ''femme fatale'' is given in Lawrence Durrell 's Alexandria Quartet in the character of Justine.

In Opera and Musical Theater , the femme fatale is usually played by a Dramatic Mezzo-soprano and is sometimes the Foil or the enemy of the Ingenue and/or the Damsel In Distress .

Some argue that the figure has a male counterpart. Some examples could be Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights , many of the heroes in Lord Byron's books, or James Bond . A possible name of any male "femme fatale" might for example be "homme fatale".

Although often depicted in ancient texts as a symbol of corruption, in more recent times the femme fatale is often portrayed in fiction as a symbol of free will for women and unrestrained passion. Indeed, the archetype has quite a debatable meaning to many.

There has been greater attention to Sexist and male-biased points of view in older fiction in recent centuries. Many women state that many of the so-called villianous women in literature are merely seeking more self improvement or satisfaction, which has raised questions about the view of women as subservient and unworthy of free will in the eyes of some men in history. A big point of debate is the subject of Lillith , the mythological first wife of Adam before Eve . In most texts depicting Lilith, many point out that her only real crime against Adam and God was voicing her own opinion. She is sentenced to Satan and Hell , and God creates a new woman for Adam in the form of Eve.

Eve, however, is considerably more subservient to Adam than Lilith was, as she showed signs of desiring more equal treatment. This text has infuriated many women for centuries, who argue that the passage is extremely male-biased. Many people (including those with religious beliefs) question the validity of such a religious statement of subservience, questioning whether or not any god would wish such an unfair fate upon all women. This is a very deep and ongoing debate along the lines of religion's opinion on Homosexuality and it has been suggested by many that religious books are heavily influenced by male values of the time, such as men's believed superiority over women.

Due to growing awarness towards the free will of women, the Femme Fatale has enjoyed better depiction and opinion. Even Femme Fatales in older texts have been at times looked upon in a different, more sympathetic, light.

In modern media, the Femme Fatale archetype can actually be seen quite often. Popular examples of this character type are the movies '' Nikita '' and '' Moulin Rouge '', to name a few, and a high number of assorted media from Video Games to comic books. '' Elektra '', a character from the Marvel Comics universe is arguably a femme fatale and is quite a well known character in comic circles, as is Catwoman from the various '' Batman ''-stories. The stunning Ada Wong from the '' Resident Evil '' series of video games is a great example of a modern femme fatale. Morrigan Aensland from the '' Darkstalkers '' series definitely falls in this category. Milia Fallyna Jenius from Macross is arguably a femme fatale. The female Ninja , the Kunoichi depicted in countless media are very well known and legendary for being trained in very femme fatale like methods, using their sexuality as fluidly as their deadly assassination skill.

, one of the great vamps of the Silent Screen. ]]

FAMOUS FEMMES FATALES

Both fictional and factual are listed.

Fictional characters