Although it has been popularized through social media, albums and films recently, the concept of feminine rage isn’t new. For centuries, the expression of female rage at their mistreatment and their pain, particularly at the hands of men, has been expressed through literature.
These four stories each tell the story of women who exhibit the rage womankind has felt throughout history, a representation of the way many women wish they could display their true pain.
Gone Girl
Published in 2012 by Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl” follows Amy Dunne, a woman who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, and her husband Nick, who in his efforts to find her has become a primary suspect. The story flips between the perspective of Amy and Nick, revealing the nuances of this missing person’s case.
The book exemplifies female rage in its exploration of deceit, betrayal and revenge. Over the course of the story, we see how Amy has gotten revenge on the various people who have “wronged her” over the course of her life – the punishment being extreme no matter how big or small the wrongdoing actually was.
Though she may not be the same “Amazing Amy” her parents and the rest of the world believe her to be, Amy’s perspective sheds light on the marital problems women often face in silence, and the expression of her anger through her brilliant (albeit morally questionable) plans personifies female rage to the extreme.
The Yellow Wallpaper
Published in 1892 by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story often regarded as a foundational piece of early feminist literature. The short story describes a woman that has been sent to the countryside by her husband, who believes she is suffering from “temporary nervous depression” and “a slight hysterical tendency”.
Over the course of the story, the main character descends into a sort of madness because of her solitude and the constant message that she isn’t truly sick and can bring herself out of this state of mind. Initially, she is deeply troubled by the wallpaper in the room she is imprisoned in, but she begins to have a morbid curiosity and even love for the figure she sees creeping around the wallpaper.
The repression of emotions, gaslighting and patronizing behavior the main character experiences at the hands of her husband is a clear representation of what so many women in that time period experienced, and the point of insanity she reaches describes a level of feminine rage that speaks to many of the women who have experienced this sort of mistreatment at the hands of men.
Circe
Published in 2018 by Madeline Miller, “Circe” is a retelling of classic stories of Greek mythology that depicts female rage with a feminine twist. The book follows the titular character Circe, the daughter of Helios the sun god, who is despised and eventually exiled by her family.
Circe realizes that she has the potential to become a deeply powerful witch, and she spends her time in exile perfecting her craft and developing her power. After a tragic, horrifying encounter with visitors to her island, Circe begins waging her own war against the men who come to her island, seeking revenge for the mistreatment she has experienced throughout her life.
Featuring characters many recognize from the Greek mythology stories they love, including Odysseus, Medea, Scylla, Telemachus and Penelope, “Circe” tells the story of a scorned woman who unleashes her fury on the world, using her skills to depict feminine power and a mother’s deep love for her child. “Circe” gives inspiration to women to fight back against their oppressors and embrace themselves as they are.
The rage Circe feels is mirrored by women who have had similar experiences at the hands of men around them, and the way she embraces her femininity and motherhood without sacrificing her talent and power pushes readers to do the same.
Medea
Written in 431 BCE by Euripides, the Greek tragedy “Medea” tells the story of the titular character, a powerful woman seeking revenge on her unfaithful husband, the “hero” Jason. When the play begins, Medea and her children are facing exile at the hands of Jason, who has taken a new wife and fears the retaliation Medea may take.
After securing one more day in Corinth to “get her things together”, Medea enacts her plan and takes extreme measures to hurt her former husband by killing the people he values most. After getting her revenge, Medea flees on a chariot drawn by dragons, escaping Jason and her previous home.
Over the past 2000 years, Medea has become a symbol for women to not quietly stand by and allow the men who hurt them to get away with it. Although Medea takes a rather extreme form of revenge, her rage and pain have been felt by women everywhere for centuries. As one of the original feminist icons, Medea’s story will continue to stand for future generations to see that scorned women will not stand by and allow their destruction to happen quietly.
For centuries, women’s deep-seated anger with their circumstances and mistreatment at the hands of men has been an inspiration for art, including literature. Titles like “Gone Girl”, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, “Circe” and “Medea” tell stories across time that portray women as the powerful beings they truly are, who aren’t resigned to a quiet life of subservience.
