Millie Hairsine Candidate Number: 2052 Centre number: 44165
"The female villain has morphed from an object of horror into a figure of
fascination, challenging moral binaries" Compare and contrast the presentation of
female villainy in Vanity Fair and Gone Girl.
From the earliest stories of creation, female characters have always been precariously
balanced on the edges of acceptance and otherness which often lead to their tragic
downfalls. The depiction, of female villains in literature has evolved, reflecting the
larger changes in society's attitudes towards gender, morality, and power dynamics.
Historically women have been viewed as objects of horror which led to the emergence
of female villains, "ranging from evil stepmothers in fairy tales to femme fatales in
Shakespeare" (1). These characters have always been used as cautionary tales to warn
younger women of the consequences of challenging the defined order. In recent years
female villains have grown to be fascinated as a rebellious role against patriarchal
societies as they challenge the conventional moral binaries and invite complex
interpretations. Through Amy Dunne and Becky Sharp, Flynn and Thackeray have shown
the shifts in societal expectations, literary conventions, and evolving notions of
femininity are illuminated, revealing the intricacies of female agency and the moral
complexities of their actions. As Emmaline Pankhurst said, "men make the moral code,
and they expect women to accept it." And as such, we are led to question whether
these women are truly villainous or merely victims of a system they never agreed to.
Female villains have traditionally been portrayed as the epitome of evil and frequently
function as cautionary tales about the dangers of female ambition and desire. In
literature of the 19th century, female characters were frequently confined to being
submissive wives or nurturing mothers; Thackeray offers an early example of the female
villain, one who defies such social conventions with her cunning ambition, through
Becky Sharp. Becky’s determination to climb the social ladder positions her as a figure
of both horror and fascination as she reflects the conflicts of a society grappling with
changing views on gender roles and ambition - particularly for women. Becky, a socially
ambitious woman navigating the rigid class structures of 19 th-Century England, uses
deceit and manipulation to achieve her goals. Sir Pitt Crawly exclaims to Becky Sharp
how she has “You’ve got more brains in your little finger than any baronet’s wife” (p.
164). Thackeray uses the motif of Becky’s hand and other symbols to present a sharp
and ironic commentary on intelligence and social class and how female power can
"contest, destabilise, and even invert” (2) social structures which confine them,
particularly for women in a Victorian society. Therefore, Thackeray situates power and
control into Becky's hand, a female hand, at a time when the "other Victorian novelists
attributed similar authority only to men" (2). Thackeray is therefore unlike typical
Victorian novelists; he doesn’t present a clear moral condemnation of Becky and
instead allows his readers to both admire and critique her, complicating the idea of
female villainy. Thackeray is disrupting the Victorian "doctrine of separate spheres" that
men and women were meant for different things. The doctrine states that "Men were
independent, and women were dependant. Men belonged in the public sphere, while
women belonged in the private sphere" (3). Just a few examples from the doctrine show
Thackeray using Becky to dismantle these ideals as her intelligence and
resourcefulness contrasts with the moral expectations of Victorian women. Thackeray
uses a hyperbolic language to emphasise Becky’s intelligence and to contrast the
, Millie Hairsine Candidate Number: 2052 Centre number: 44165
supposedly less intelligent wives of baronets, who represent the upper class.
Thackeray’s satirical tone allows the reader to question whether Becky is truly a
villainous or navigating an unfair world of class divisions and hierarchies. To a modern-
day audience this makes Becky a fascinating character who doesn’t conform to
expectations, but to a contemporary audience this makes her the ultimate female
villain.
In Gone Girl, we receive our initial description of our antihero (Amy Dunne) through Nick
Dunne's unreliable narrative. Nick presents Amy as a villain through a combination of
his own fear, admiration, and resentment. Flynn’s use of dual perspectives complicates
the portrayal of Amy, making her both a victim of societal pressures and a calculated
mastermind. Flynn uses the “Cool girl” persona to critique gender expectations, the
male gaze, and the way in which women transform themselves into an idealised version
of femininity to cater to male desires - ultimately sacrificing their true selves in the
process. Through Amy’s alternate self, Flynn exposes how this constructed identity
serves as both a performance and a trap. Amy realises that women who do not conform
to the “cool girl” fantasy are seen as “needy” or “high maintenance” which is why when
she met Nick, she “didn’t worry about the offensive sexism” (p. 236) because if she did
worry, she would find herself discarded when Nick lost interest. The “cool girl” persona
hereby reveals both Amy’s initial conformity to societal expectations and her later
rejection of them in a way which, to readers, can be seen as anti-feminist, making her a
villain and asset to the patriarchy. Nick is an embodiment of internalised misogyny as
he harbours deep-seated sexist beliefs and even attempts to present himself as a
“good guy” after he (as Amy claims) “killed my soul, which should be a crime, actually,
it is a crime. According to me, at least” (p.268) presenting Amy as victim and villain of
her circumstances. There is a conflict between real Amy and Cool Amy when she
describes Cool Amy as a construct and eventually, when she feels secure with Nick,
she allows her real self to emerge – one that is “better, more interesting, and
complicated” (pg. 254). However, instead of embracing her true self, Nick still wants
Cool Amy. This passage highlights the pain of exposing one’s true self, only to be met
with disapproval. The phrase “Can you imagine” (p. 254) invites the reader to empathise
with her pain, making her motivation more complex than simple villainy. Flynn
deliberately chose Nick's criticising attitude to represent a patriarchal view on gender
stereotypes, "in which women are stereotyped as emotional while men are associated
with logic" (4) which ultimately causes Amy to conceal her capability and intelligence as
"women are often expected to remain quiet simply because being rational or critical is
not feminine" (4). In both novels we see the patriarchy implementing degrading gender
roles upon women, causing prejudice - although Becky and Amy are similar in this way,
the extent of criticism is larger in Vanity Fair as Becky is seen as a disrupting force,
causing her to be viewed as a villain, whereas Amy is viewed as a nagging wife by her
husband. Amy is perceived this way due to the constant social demand regarding
traditional gender roles and stereotypes which led her to becoming a vengeful
sociopathic villain.
In Victorian literature, there was great emphasis on the "discourse of sexuality during
this period, particularly the questions revolving feminine sexuality, and which gender
would prevail in the competition for power" (6). The Victorian ideal of femininity was
"The female villain has morphed from an object of horror into a figure of
fascination, challenging moral binaries" Compare and contrast the presentation of
female villainy in Vanity Fair and Gone Girl.
From the earliest stories of creation, female characters have always been precariously
balanced on the edges of acceptance and otherness which often lead to their tragic
downfalls. The depiction, of female villains in literature has evolved, reflecting the
larger changes in society's attitudes towards gender, morality, and power dynamics.
Historically women have been viewed as objects of horror which led to the emergence
of female villains, "ranging from evil stepmothers in fairy tales to femme fatales in
Shakespeare" (1). These characters have always been used as cautionary tales to warn
younger women of the consequences of challenging the defined order. In recent years
female villains have grown to be fascinated as a rebellious role against patriarchal
societies as they challenge the conventional moral binaries and invite complex
interpretations. Through Amy Dunne and Becky Sharp, Flynn and Thackeray have shown
the shifts in societal expectations, literary conventions, and evolving notions of
femininity are illuminated, revealing the intricacies of female agency and the moral
complexities of their actions. As Emmaline Pankhurst said, "men make the moral code,
and they expect women to accept it." And as such, we are led to question whether
these women are truly villainous or merely victims of a system they never agreed to.
Female villains have traditionally been portrayed as the epitome of evil and frequently
function as cautionary tales about the dangers of female ambition and desire. In
literature of the 19th century, female characters were frequently confined to being
submissive wives or nurturing mothers; Thackeray offers an early example of the female
villain, one who defies such social conventions with her cunning ambition, through
Becky Sharp. Becky’s determination to climb the social ladder positions her as a figure
of both horror and fascination as she reflects the conflicts of a society grappling with
changing views on gender roles and ambition - particularly for women. Becky, a socially
ambitious woman navigating the rigid class structures of 19 th-Century England, uses
deceit and manipulation to achieve her goals. Sir Pitt Crawly exclaims to Becky Sharp
how she has “You’ve got more brains in your little finger than any baronet’s wife” (p.
164). Thackeray uses the motif of Becky’s hand and other symbols to present a sharp
and ironic commentary on intelligence and social class and how female power can
"contest, destabilise, and even invert” (2) social structures which confine them,
particularly for women in a Victorian society. Therefore, Thackeray situates power and
control into Becky's hand, a female hand, at a time when the "other Victorian novelists
attributed similar authority only to men" (2). Thackeray is therefore unlike typical
Victorian novelists; he doesn’t present a clear moral condemnation of Becky and
instead allows his readers to both admire and critique her, complicating the idea of
female villainy. Thackeray is disrupting the Victorian "doctrine of separate spheres" that
men and women were meant for different things. The doctrine states that "Men were
independent, and women were dependant. Men belonged in the public sphere, while
women belonged in the private sphere" (3). Just a few examples from the doctrine show
Thackeray using Becky to dismantle these ideals as her intelligence and
resourcefulness contrasts with the moral expectations of Victorian women. Thackeray
uses a hyperbolic language to emphasise Becky’s intelligence and to contrast the
, Millie Hairsine Candidate Number: 2052 Centre number: 44165
supposedly less intelligent wives of baronets, who represent the upper class.
Thackeray’s satirical tone allows the reader to question whether Becky is truly a
villainous or navigating an unfair world of class divisions and hierarchies. To a modern-
day audience this makes Becky a fascinating character who doesn’t conform to
expectations, but to a contemporary audience this makes her the ultimate female
villain.
In Gone Girl, we receive our initial description of our antihero (Amy Dunne) through Nick
Dunne's unreliable narrative. Nick presents Amy as a villain through a combination of
his own fear, admiration, and resentment. Flynn’s use of dual perspectives complicates
the portrayal of Amy, making her both a victim of societal pressures and a calculated
mastermind. Flynn uses the “Cool girl” persona to critique gender expectations, the
male gaze, and the way in which women transform themselves into an idealised version
of femininity to cater to male desires - ultimately sacrificing their true selves in the
process. Through Amy’s alternate self, Flynn exposes how this constructed identity
serves as both a performance and a trap. Amy realises that women who do not conform
to the “cool girl” fantasy are seen as “needy” or “high maintenance” which is why when
she met Nick, she “didn’t worry about the offensive sexism” (p. 236) because if she did
worry, she would find herself discarded when Nick lost interest. The “cool girl” persona
hereby reveals both Amy’s initial conformity to societal expectations and her later
rejection of them in a way which, to readers, can be seen as anti-feminist, making her a
villain and asset to the patriarchy. Nick is an embodiment of internalised misogyny as
he harbours deep-seated sexist beliefs and even attempts to present himself as a
“good guy” after he (as Amy claims) “killed my soul, which should be a crime, actually,
it is a crime. According to me, at least” (p.268) presenting Amy as victim and villain of
her circumstances. There is a conflict between real Amy and Cool Amy when she
describes Cool Amy as a construct and eventually, when she feels secure with Nick,
she allows her real self to emerge – one that is “better, more interesting, and
complicated” (pg. 254). However, instead of embracing her true self, Nick still wants
Cool Amy. This passage highlights the pain of exposing one’s true self, only to be met
with disapproval. The phrase “Can you imagine” (p. 254) invites the reader to empathise
with her pain, making her motivation more complex than simple villainy. Flynn
deliberately chose Nick's criticising attitude to represent a patriarchal view on gender
stereotypes, "in which women are stereotyped as emotional while men are associated
with logic" (4) which ultimately causes Amy to conceal her capability and intelligence as
"women are often expected to remain quiet simply because being rational or critical is
not feminine" (4). In both novels we see the patriarchy implementing degrading gender
roles upon women, causing prejudice - although Becky and Amy are similar in this way,
the extent of criticism is larger in Vanity Fair as Becky is seen as a disrupting force,
causing her to be viewed as a villain, whereas Amy is viewed as a nagging wife by her
husband. Amy is perceived this way due to the constant social demand regarding
traditional gender roles and stereotypes which led her to becoming a vengeful
sociopathic villain.
In Victorian literature, there was great emphasis on the "discourse of sexuality during
this period, particularly the questions revolving feminine sexuality, and which gender
would prevail in the competition for power" (6). The Victorian ideal of femininity was
