What is ‘female rage?’
Rage, expressed by a woman, is not generally acknowledged as an acceptable way for women to behave. Anger and rage are behaviours that are too powerful for the divine women and so should be left for the hyper masculine. Thus, when women have this rage, they are often villainised for showing it, labelled as ‘crazy’ or ‘psycho.’
Even when we do see female rage in film, it’s usually because of the actions of a man. Female rage is not often shown for other reasons and focuses on a very one-dimensional view of anger, centred around men. Yet this rage still isn’t justified and is seen outside of her feminine qualities, which takes away from her ‘obedience’ and ‘politeness’. This theme tends to transfer through film and television, with ‘women making up 34% of all speaking characters’ in 2021’s top films.
The embodiment of rage is conveyed very differently through male and female characters. Men are often seen as the violent protagonists, whose anger and aggressiveness fuels their likeability as the bold hero. On the other hand, women are demonised for showing the same emotions. However, there is some change, female rage is being portrayed in a much more positive light and is taking the approach of the female gaze. Examples including Killing Eve, Pearl, and Promising Young Women. They show female rage as a powerful thing, a weapon. Not as a characteristic of the ‘crazy’ woman.
The very notion of having to categorise ‘female rage,’ highlights the behaviours we accept as a standard for women to adhere to. We don’t discuss ‘male rage’ as it’s just an accepted attribute of the ‘manly man.’ Women are often assumed to internalise their rage, burying it within themselves and having to conform to the injustices that they must just accept. Women have been conditioned to take anger and pain and meet it with a smile. Yet when we release that built up pain and anger, we are taken to be unreliable and unstable.
Midsommar
Midsommar takes an interesting perspective into the idea that women are emotional, but ultimately this binds them together with a sense of community making them stronger. Midsommar depicts a cult community with women in control, yet are the one’s making extremely violent decisions and choices. However, these women all share a sense of community and power, having agency and control over their sexual liberty.
But beyond that, we see Dani (Florence Pugh) embodying female rage as her ultimate power. We see her raw emotional pain, when finding out her partner has been unfaithful and the other women in the community taking on that pain too in support. In the last scenes, we see her crowned as the May Queen, where we watch Dani powerfully sitting on the throne smirking as her partner burns to death. The depiction of female rage is ultimately shown as a divine feminine power, where community prevails over the mishaps of men.
Gone Girl
Gone girl’s portrayal of female rage is one of my favourites, as it shows Amy’s anger on a much deeper, complex, emotional level. It doesn’t just show a one-dimensional view, but rather shows how Amy can be cunning and sly but still keep a well put together exterior. It shows the suppression of Amy’s rage throughout her dysfunctional marriage which subsequently leads to her framing her husband for her murder. Somewhat of an ‘anti-hero,’ Amy’s character feels somewhat relatable and alluring. Although we don’t justify her actions, her exhaustion and silence from a marriage that is failing due to her husband’s affair and lack of effort, makes her rage speak volumes about her emotional pain that she’s endured. The rage that she exhibits is one that is felt by a lot of women, who’s suppression of anger builds up to her powerful depart from her gender role expectations.
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