The femme fatale is a kind of “man-eater” at the same time fascinating and terrible.
Although there has been evidence of this image since Greek antiquity, this myth took shape in the late 19th century.
- The appearance of the fatal woman? It coincides with the first female emancipation movements and has now become a prototype of advertising.
What characterizes this figure is an enigmatic and threatening beauty, but definitely seductive, ductive, hypnotizing. Men fall at your feet, but your ultimate goal is to destroy them.
This behavior corresponds to what in psychoanalysis is treated as a hysterical structure.
“As far as I know, love means fighting, big lies and slaps in the face. “
Edith Piaf-
Before the advent of romanticism and the women’s liberation movement, women were underrepresented in culture, there were three basic stereotypes: women and mothers, mystique and witches and/or prostitutes.
With women’s emancipation movements, women began to be seen as a threat, not only did they begin to make themselves heard and voted in many social sectors, but they also showed a new attitude.
Thus, the femme fatale first appeared in literature; many novels of the time showed this new feminine side that, above all, posed a danger; in literary arguments, men ended up being their victims.
In the 1940s, in the 20th century, the femme fatale was based on cinema. It was the time of the great divas of cinema, who defined themselves as “Vamps” (the archetype of the seductive and cruel woman).
Comparing these beautiful women to vampires is a clear sign that they were perceived to have something monstrous. This capability? Suck the lives of men and lead them to destruction.
At the time, the femme fatale was not only a figure, but also had a set of psychological traits.
The femme fatale was an impassive, calculating and fundamentally insensitive woman, her greatest strength is that she seduced men without falling in love with them, her interests were more practical: power and money.
The femme fatale was essentially the female version of the classic “Don Juan”.
During the second half of the twentieth century and today, film, advertising and even much of the literature changed the appearance of the typical femme fatale; in fact, they turned the myth into a cliché.
The woman, terribly attractive? It is now incorporated by the “Top Model” figure. Most commercial images explore this feminine side: the unpleasant and unpleasant woman, but tempting and irresistible.
The female image is also increasingly masculinized, a prototype of attractive woman is someone who fights: a kind of contemporary rider who fully shares the values of the warrior.
She is a hypersexualized, determined and stimulating woman, it seems that she was always behind the realization of something relevant in the male world, is today’s femme fatale a great leader, conspiratorial, political, military, sportsman?
The femme fatale competes with men, but in the best style of classic 007, it uses its physical beauty and charm to face difficult moments.
It no longer has a “mystery beauty”, like the fatal women of yesteryear, now the stereotype is much more rigid: perfectly toned bodies, European features (regardless of skin color), fleshy lips, etc.
Contemporary femme fatale not only wants to be the object of desire for men, but also aims to serve as an example for other women.
For this reason, the femme fatale is confident, with a dazzling personality, independent and very beautiful, also rebellious and presents itself with the latest fashion trends.
Today’s femme fatale has the same problems that many men have faced for a long time: the obligation to be invulnerable, thus losing the opportunity to feel tenderness in all its fullness.
Image courtesy of Antonio Marin Segovia.