What do Scarlett O’Hara, Erica Kane, and Bath’s wife have in common? The obvious answer is that they are among the most memorable fictional characters ever created, possibly the most memorable female characters, period. They are femme fatales, meaning no man who gets involved with them comes out unscathed. In real life we hate these women, but in fiction we find them irresistible. So how do you go about creating a fatal woman?
At first glance, the features are not obvious. Two of these women are beautiful, but the third is on the verge of ugliness. Two of her stories take them into middle age, still strong and sexy, but the third’s story ends when she is only 28 years old. Two of them start life with little or nothing and work their way to the top, but the third is born. to wealth. Two of them have fabulous fashion sense, but the third is a fashion disaster. Note that it is not the same two vs. the same in each case.
So what do all three share? An obvious answer: numerous husbands and other men in their lives. Scarlett O’Hara is married three times. Bath’s wife is married five times. And according to the Who’s who in Pine Valley website, Erica Kane has so far had eleven marriages with eight different men (three of whom have been married twice).
But what do all those connections mean? That these women are sexually attractive and amazingly manipulative. Smart men have their common sense dominated by feminine wiles.
They have two types of relationships with men: for love and for money or power. But when it is for love it is a disaster, while the marriage for money works because the woman has no expectations beyond a marriage of convenience.
Scarlett’s experience with love marriage is complex, twisted even: She never marries Ashley, the man she wastes her emotional youth with, but her longing for him makes it impossible for her to love her obvious soulmate Rhett. The other two women have more conventional love marriages, but they never work out either. So one characteristic of a fatal woman is that, although she shares the same dream of true love as any other woman, she is never able to achieve it. The Fatal Woman’s inability to find true love is a vulnerability that allows the female audience to sympathize with her.
Another characteristic is sharp intelligence. None of these women are well educated, but they are all very, very smart in areas that go far beyond the manipulation of men. Scarlett and Erica are successful business owners, while Bath’s wife Alison is a skilled weaver and has learned Latin, philosophy, and theology to support her sharp wit.
One story they all share is that they gain riches, lose them, and come back to the top again. They become self-sufficient, so their mature relationships with men may still be for twisted reasons, but no longer for money or power.
Therefore, the secret to writing a fatal woman is more complicated than simply creating a sexy and manipulative woman. Put together these five character and plot characteristics:
1. A fatal woman has numerous marriages and other ties to men. You long for true love, but you often give it up for practical reasons.
2. She is very sexually desirable and is never afraid to use it.
3. You have two types of marriages and other relationships: for money or power and for love. The love ones never work, leaving her disappointed.
4. Although she has little formal education, she is extremely smart and cunning on the street.
5. Your life story is a roller coaster ride: You gain wealth and power, lose it, and make your way to the top again.
Create a fatal woman and you too can have an unforgettable character that will live through the centuries.
Copyright 2010 by Jean Lorrah
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