The Rise and Fall of the Femme Fatale in British Literature, 1790-1910

Download or read book The Rise and Fall of the Femme Fatale in British Literature, 1790-1910 written by Heather Braun and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Rise and Fall of the Femme Fatale in British Literature, 1790-1910 explores the femme fatale's career in nineteenth-century British literature. It traces her evolution--and devolution--formally, historically, and ideologically through a selection of plays, poems, novels, and personal correspondence. Considering well-known fatal women alongside more obscure ones, The Rise and Fall of the Femme Fatale sheds new light on emerging notions of gender, sexuality, and power throughout the long nineteenth century. By placing the fatal woman in a still-developing literary and cultural narrative, this study examines how the femme fatale adapts over time, reflecting popular tastes and socio-economic landscapes.