The Femme Fatale Image

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Abstract The work is dedicated to the role of femme fatale as a part of femininity perception in history and society comparing its value and impact to the culture and fashion. The essay explores how the fatal side of femininity is depicted in media, how and why fashion exploits the femme fatale image and the term definition. The essay concentrates at femme fatale image in the 20th century as the necessary part of the feminism evolution. The work is based on the bodies of work by Mulvey, Elizabeth Wilson Adorned in Dreams (1985). The aim of the essay is to explore the phenomenon of the femme fatale image idolization and depict its impact into modern perception of femininity from the social and fashion perspectives. Introduction “A femme fatale…show more content…
She refuses to play the role of devoted wife and loving mother that mainstream society prescribes for women. She finds marriage to be confining, loveless, sexless, and dull, and she uses all of her cunning and sexual attractiveness to gain her independence. She remains fiercely independent even when faced with her own destruction. And in spite of her inevitable death, she leaves behind the image of a strong, exciting, and unrepentant woman who defies the control of men and rejects the institution of the family” (Blaser, 1994) the description got some crossed points about independence and views of traditional perception of femininity in the society with Dern’s perspective of woman’s behavior, which leads to the conclusion that modern idealistic character of a woman is meant to be a hybrid of femme fatale’s power, strength, self-respect, sophistication and emancipation yet with acceptance of traditional female function of mother and/or wife and according to Wilson (1985) the modern feminism has its right to be feminine and seductive without denial of the natural authentic…show more content…
We are told that a woman’s worth depends on who she marries, where she lives, the size of the rock on her finger, the children she bears, the car she drives, where she shops, the champagne she drinks, and of course, her dress size. We are taught the art of self-comparison - who’s the hottest, who’s the sexiest, who’s the smartest, who’s the thinnest - which slowly begins to chip away at our self-confidence. We are taught the ways of powerlessness, not power.”(2010) Fashion according to conspicuous consumption theory (Veblen, 1899) supports and cherishes popularization of the glamourized and dependent lifestyle described by Dern (2010), yet fashion makes controversial statements about self-sufficiency and emancipation recreating a true femme fatale type of a trap influencing minds of the

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