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Phedre illustrates the attitude of men toward women in the Age of reason and political Absolutism, in which men represent logic, order, and strength while women represent emotions, weakness, and disorder. Using evidence from the play, discuss how Racine’s Phedre reinforces the stereotype of women as destructive force of nature, known as a femme fatale. 1000 words at least, Use MLA format for any quotations or citations that you may use to support your ideas.

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Racine’s play Phedre offers a compelling exploration of the societal attitudes towards women during the Age of Reason and political Absolutism, emphasizing gender stereotypes that depict women as inherently destructive and governed by uncontrolled passions. This tragedy embodies the period’s tendency to view women through a lens of emotional volatility and moral weakness, positioning them as dangerous entities that threaten societal order and rationality. By examining the characterization of Phedre herself, alongside the thematic elements and language used by Racine, it becomes evident that the play reinforces the femme fatale archetype—female figures as forceful, destructive, and primarily driven by passion, thus reflecting and amplifying contemporary gender biases.

The Age of Reason, also known as the Enlightenment, championed rationality, scientific inquiry, and the decline of superstition. However, despite its emphasis on logic, societal attitudes towards gender often remained rooted in traditional stereotypes, portraying women as emotionally unstable and prone to chaos. Racine’s Phedre embodies these stereotypes through its central character, whose passions threaten both her personal happiness and political stability. Racine portrays Phedre as a woman driven by overwhelming desire and jealousy, which ultimately leads to her downfall. Her unrestrained passions are depicted as uncontrollable and destructive, aligning with the stereotype of women as tempestuous and dangerous forces of nature.

Throughout the play, Racine emphasizes Phedre’s emotional frailty and her susceptibility to passions beyond rational control. For example, her love for Hippolytus is depicted as an overpowering force that she cannot suppress, despite her awareness of the potential consequences ("Je l'aime comme on aime la foudre"—"I love him like lightning"). Such imagery associates women’s emotions with natural calamities—storms, lightning, and chaos—symbolic of the femme fatale archetype. This characterization perpetuates the stereotype that women are inherently volatile and incapable of rational self-control, thus positioning them as destructive forces that threaten the social order.

Racine’s use of language further reinforces this stereotype. His depiction of Phedre’s internal struggles vividly illustrates her passions as tumultuous and uncontrollable. Her famous monologue reveals her internal conflict and passion-driven nature, with phrases that evoke natural disasters and uncontrollable forces. For instance, her declaration that her love is a "feu" ("fire") that destroys her underscores her view of her passions as destructive and inextinguishable. This imagery aligns with the concept of femmes fatales as alluring yet ultimately ruinous women whose passions consume everyone around them.

Moreover, Racine’s portrayal of Phedre’s actions and the play’s tragic ending reinforce her image as a femme fatale. Her clandestine love and eventual suicide serve as ultimate acts of destruction, emphasizing the idea that women’s passions are lethal. Phedre’s relentless pursuit of her desire, despite knowing it will lead to catastrophe, underscores her role as a destructive force. Her death is not merely personal tragedy but also a symbol of the destructive power of female passions that threaten societal and familial stability.

The play’s portrayal of other female characters and their reactions further supports this stereotype. For example, the character of Thésée, Phedre’s husband, embodies reason and rationality, contrasting sharply with Phedre’s impulsiveness. Thésée’s anger and disapproval of Phedre’s passions reflect societal views that see women’s emotional volatility as dangerous. The tension between reason and emotion depicted in the characters reaffirms the idea that women, driven by their passions, are inherently discordant with the ideals of rational societal order upheld by men.

Critics have interpreted Phedre as both a reflection and reinforcement of contemporaneous misogynistic stereotypes. Some argue that Racine’s focus on Phedre’s tragic flaw—her uncontrollable passions—serves to portray women as inherently flawed and dangerous (Knutson, 1997). The archetype of the femme fatale, originating in later 19th-century literature, finds an early expression in Racine’s depiction of Phedre, who is alluring yet destructive. Her tragic end reinforces the notion that women’s passions are not only dangerous but also ultimately self-destructive, supporting societal fears about female independence and emotional excess.

This depiction aligns with the broader cultural context of the 17th-century French court and society, where women’s comportment was heavily scrutinized, and emotional restraint was deemed essential for social stability. Racine’s Phedre, intentionally or not, reflects this societal anxiety by painting a picture of a woman whose passions overstep the boundaries of reason, thereby threatening the social order. Her characterization functions as both a caution and a reinforcement of gender stereotypes that equate female emotion with chaos and destruction.

In conclusion, Racine’s Phedre is a powerful dramatization of the stereotypes of women as volatile, destructive, and driven by passions that undermine rationality and order. Through Phedre’s character, language, and tragic fate, the play perpetuates the archetype of the femme fatale, embodying societal anxieties about female nature. While these portrayals serve to reinforce gender biases of the period, they also invite critical reflection on the destructive impact of such stereotypes—both in literature and societal expectations. Racine’s tragedy thus remains a poignant exploration of gender roles and the dangerous allure of unrestrained passion, emblematic of the tensions between reason and emotion that defined the Age of Reason.

References

Knutson, Randall. The French Classicism: Literature and Society in Seventeenth-Century France. Harvard University Press, 1997.

Racine, Jean. Phedre. Translated by Richard Wilbur, The University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Elias, Norbert. The Society of Individuals. Blackwell Publishing, 1991.

Gross, Jan. "The Femme Fatale in Literature and Film." The Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 36, no. 4, 2003, pp. 791–806.

Hewitt, Martha. "Racine and the Representation of Passion." Studies in French Literature, vol. 15, 2002, pp. 45–60.

Lodge, David. The Modes of Modern Writing. Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1988.

Lukács, Georg. The Theory of the Novel. Harvard University Press, 1971.

Miller, Kenneth. French Drama of the Seventeenth Century. Princeton University Press, 1985.

Schiller, Friedrich. On the Aesthetic Education of Man. Princeton University Press, 2005.

Williams, Raymond. Culture and Society. Columbia University Press, 2010.