Freud's Madonna-Whore

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The Gothic genre acts as historical evidence of the progression of women in society, charting their movement from positions of social subservience to positions of authority. As the Gothic genre develops, female characters transcend from being figures of passivity to take a more active involvement in the text, in terms of their participation in the story and whether they are victims or perpetrators; their sexuality, concerning Freud's Madonna-Whore complex; and their awareness to the events taking place around them. In order to accurately evaluate the mutable representation of the female characters as the genre develops, one must first define the foundation from which this transition occurs. In the early stages of Gothic literature, even in…show more content…
Initially however, it is the femme fatale Geraldine that epitomises the notion of a virtue in distress. Described as "a damsel bright, / Drest in a silken robe of white", Geraldine represents idealised feminine beauty, her white clothes symbolising her supposed purity, and also suggesting the ghostly truth behind her lies. When she is found by Christabel, she is already in a position of vulnerability; "her neck, her feet, her arms were bare", indicating the lack of physical protection and security, putting the character in need of aid. Here, the predatory Geraldine utilises the traditional, unthreatening perception of women as a disguise to gain access to the castle and to Sir Leoline, warning the reader of the risk of underestimating women and being lulled into a false sense of security. In contrast to Geraldine, and truly under threat, is Christabel, who personifies the ideal woman; a woman who is chaste, pure, and obedient towards her father. Christabel is also unaware of the true nature of the world and the consequences of her disobedient actions. The final part of the trinity is Christabel's deceased mother, who acts as a rival female influence to Geraldine. The mother figure is seen as caring, nurturing, and a guardian for Christabel that transcends death. The strength of the woman in a motherly role suggests Coleridge's support for this purpose of women in society, as opposed to more independent means. Every morning, a bell rings to mark the death of Christabel's mother, a constant reminder of her absence. As the landscape mirrors the depression felt by the mourning Sir Leoline, the significance of the mother figure is evident. Coleridge highlights the importance of her role for in society, hinting at the strength of mothers by presenting the results of a society without a queen and a protagonist
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