The Temptress

…Alluring, powerful, and dangerous

Dahlton, Shay, Sam

Defining Characteristics• The temptress is a woman

who is often characterized with beauty, and tries to seduce, temp, or allure a man, and often leads to the downfall of the character. Temptresses bring out several emotions; love, anxiety, bliss, ecstasy, intimacy, distance, pleasure and pain. There are many kinds of temptresses including but not limited to the mysterious temptress, the subtle nurturing temptress, and the straight foreword provocative temptress.

Roles • 1.) Aids assassinations/murders-

makes a hero willingly strip his armor (mental armor, and physical armor) leaving him vulnerable and easily targeted.

• 2.) Gathers information- uses manipulation to gain important information from the hero that she can turn around and give to the wrong hands.

• 3.) Cause emotional damage- after causing damage to the hero, she often leaves an impression that can forever effect the hero. While the hero is most hurt, there is a window of time for the temptress to move on.

• 4.) Devils advocate- makes herself too valuable for the hero to lose. She wins trust and sympathy that enables her to dive between the hero and his outside relations (I.e. friends, allies, family etc.) causing jealousy, and rivalry.

Tools of deception

• Seduction• Mind Games• False promises• Emotional attachments • Misleading words• Etc.

Symbols

The color red - lustrous and passionate symbolic color: seen through archetypal objects like red lipstick, attire, or a red apple.

The rose – ultimate symbol for love and intimacy represents the temptress in her passion and temptation, while the thorns could indicate the painful or double crossing nature of the archetype.

Vampires – blood or life sucking force who (male or female) is usually physically attractive or mentally drawing like the irresistible nature of a temptress, who in the end is the downfall of a hero or protagonist.

Circe

Through beauty, luxury, and comfort mysterious Circe tempts Odysseus to stay for an entire year in her palace prolonging his journey and return home to his rightful wife, Penelope.

Calypso

Despite being held against his will, Calypso still attempts to seduce Odysseus with nearly irresistible offers. She is also is pictured here bare and lounging on a red cloth furthering displaying her nurturing temptress archetype.

Sea Nymphs

Mythological example of temptresses using their sexuality to make men weak and vulnerable.

Bond Girls

Mysterious and self serving temptresses who weaken the hero (bond) in an opportune moment.

Holly Golightly

Example of a subtle or nurturing type of deception where a comforting love or a safe haven is provided, but real intentions are not apparent and have selfish motives behind them.

Vivien – Pretty Woman

Despite her displayed care and nurture, Vivien’s career as a prostitute proves that her intentions are actually elsewhere.

Why it matters

• Temptresses are seen throughout the world in classic and contemporary works. Their roles and motives can change but they symbolize a woman empowered who embraces and utilizes her femininity as a tool of deception. Women no longer are weak, feeble, and at the mercy of men when they in the form of a seductress, they have control of their own destiny, and manipulation over destinies around them as well.