What links do you see across the different representations of female violence we have looked at this term? by

2025-03-17 15:19:53 UTC

The fact that a lot of them are presented as "monsters", but in different ways - Penthesilea as a monster in terms of what she does, Lulu as a reference to Pandora's box, Marianne as a terrorist that also abandons her child and Erika as a fan of sadism

2025-03-17 15:21:41 UTC

Idea of women as either stereotypically feeble or monstrously dangerous. Very little in between as they are either seen as nurturing mother or monster-like.

2025-03-17 15:22:42 UTC

Female violence is represented quite differently but also similarly in the materials we have looked at. Because of monster theory, we have concluded that women have been viewed as perpetrators and instigators of violence which both excludes and involves them deeply at the centre of society. Women who choose to do violence are marginalised by their choices and argued to be 'unwomen' due to their choice between children and violence. Women are shown to be secondary in society in all of these materials, having to rely on their beauty or on their violent appetites or tendencies to reach their personal goals in life.

2025-03-17 15:23:18 UTC

There’s a mystification of female-authored violence. Furthermore, the male gaze plays a role in all different representations, fem. violence is almost inseparable from others, i.e. mother/lover (relationship to child or partner), femme fatale/die Neue Frau (effect on society esp. men). ‘Die Terroristin’ seems (at first glance) to be more about societal ideals but even so, her role as woman dominates her role as violent being (bad mother, neglecting duties, i.r ‘die bleierne Zeit’)

2025-03-17 15:23:25 UTC

Many of these representations of violent women reveal masculine insecurities about their ability to control women.

2025-03-17 15:24:10 UTC

They are often monstrous in the eyes of others, but from their own perspective are more innocent or not always aware of the harm they cause.

2025-03-17 15:24:31 UTC

The female figures we studied were always violent towards or set against a male counterpart who was usually a love interest- Penthiselea with Achilles, Undine with Johannes, Lulu and Dr. Schön, Marianne's partner kills himself, Erika and her student... men are usually victims of their actions.

2025-03-17 15:25:21 UTC

their violence is usually based on/linked to a subversion of gender norms and expectations of women. this makes us question why this violence is considered so much more noteworthy when it is inflicted by a woman.

2025-03-17 15:31:04 UTC

A specific type of power and agency that women have that men could never control scares the men. This could be the timeless element but the nuances of the situation depend on the historical context.