The Temptress (jan 1, 1000 – jan 1, 2020)

Description:

Like the Mother Figure, the Temptress is another enduring conception of femininity. Occasionally, the nature of woman is presented as dual-sided. While some women are shown as nurturing, others are labeled as dangerous. This danger usually lies in their attractiveness and sexuality.

An early example (not from the Western canon, but from the Hebrew Bible, Judges 16) is the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson is the strong hero, called by God to lead his people, but time and again he is distracted by beautiful women with hidden agendas. Ultimately, Delilah, Samson's seductive girlfriend, is the cause of his downfall when she betrays him to his enemies by stealing his strength. While no one protests that Samson is an exemplary hero, Delilah's role as the shiny bait is one which is frequently assigned to women: the Bible's Eve; Homer's sirens and Helen of Troy; Keats' La Belle Dame sans Merci; George Eliot's Rosamund Vincy; Margaret Atwood's siren.

(Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's response to the tendency to vilify women is a refreshing and fun read: https://poets.org/poem/you-foolish-men.)

The Bible. New American Standard Bible, Zondervan Corporation, 2002.