“I can be feminine in all my rage.
I can be girl and woman, and claws with teeth.
Watch me burn.”
― Venetta Octavia
Cinema is revolutionizing and a powerful new force “Female Rage” is emerging. For years women were either given the role of the docile sweet women or the strong and composed heroines, only to remain passive damsels or sidekicks to their male counterparts. Female rage, a raw unbridled expression of anger and defiance in not only challenging societal norms but also transforming narratives and starting important conversations. Women are complex and so much more than how they have been portrayed through previous films, making this emergence of female representation crucial.
Female rage depicts the portrayal of women's anger in a myriad of ways. This includes the simmering and quiet resentment that slowly builds, as well as a louder and more vocal and explosive anger in the form of an outburst. These reactions are caused because of the different ways women have been silenced, controlled and oppressed throughout history. These portrayals go against the traditional depiction of women, being docile and emotional, and rather show their strength and rage.
Historically the topic of female rage was largely ignored or demonized. If a woman were to scream, shout and show her anger, due to the many circumstances she had to face, she was labeled hysterical, irrational and crazy. Her status as a victim would be doubted because she showed her discontent by being angry rather than being docile and silently crying, which is what many males thought women should act like. Her ability to make sound decisions would be questioned if she were to have an outburst. Women were expected to show their anger in ways that were deemed acceptable to the male gaze, by being elegant and reacting with composure with just a few tears. They were expected to remain beautiful in their pain. These kinds of reactions were expected of women in order to cater to the male gaze. Due to the importance male gaze has held in cinema this was perpetuated in real life too. A women's anger was to be in the form of tears, even when they were alone, even when there was no male, but this gaze and its remnants live within women because of the society that normalized it. Being beautiful in your pain even when you are alone. This is more accurately depicted by the quote:
“As long as I can remember, I've had to perform. When I tried to be myself, I was told, That's not what you think, that's not what you ought to do. So, just like my mother and her mother, I put on a false face. My life became a lie. That's deep rage. We have lived our lives behind a mask. Sooner or later —if we are lucky— the mask will be smashed. What a relief to be human instead of the god or goddess my parents imagined me to be or I imagined them.”
― Marion Woodman, Coming Home to Myself: Reflections for Nurturing a Woman's Body & Soul
Anger and rage in actuality is loud, ugly and takes up space, and this is the kind of anger that is now more prevalent in films. Some examples of this can be seen in the film “Jennifer's Body” where Jennifer portrays her anger in the form of killing and eating men as revenge to what was done to her and the sexualization of women's bodies done by most of the men. This anger and rage is bloody and ugly. As Jennifer is no longer a girl but rather a demon with a girl's body, she no longer feels the need to cater to the male gaze prevalent within a person as well as from the outside and thus has no problem show her anger.
Ti West’s “Pearl”, wanting stardom and to escape the suffocation that is her life she starts looking for fame. When her dreams are crushed, she starts her murderous rampage depicting her anger with the existing limitations and cruelties she has to face as a woman. Amy Dunne from “Gone Girl '' also provides a depiction of female rage, who acts in violent and ugly rage in response to the need of being perfect in order to be loved.
The acceptance and normalization of female rage has been helpful in many ways as it reduces the shame associated with rage. Many women due to the “rules” created by society associate feeling shame when they react this way and it has been ingrained to feel as such, but with the normalization that sachem holds less power.
It also provides more authentic representation of the women experience as so many women deal with this rage, but media never addressed it, thus this new era of feel is more relatable. It also empowers women by validating their experiences and feelings in response to many issues they have to deal with in society. It offers a form of catharsis and solidarity, encouraging the viewers to embrace their own feelings. They are also important in breaking down harmful stereotypes that portray women as just being nurturing and passive. Female rage in film showcases the full spectrum of emotions, including anger, which are important to truly understand the woman's experience. These films also provide social commentary, critiquing societal norms and highlighting systemic problem such as sexual violence, workplace discrimination, and domestic abuse, provoking thought for societal change.
Even Though female rage is important, there do exist some lapses. Female rage is dominantly depicted by white women and black women rage is not focused on which can be detrimental. This shows white women as the frontiers for this and thus similar acceptance for black women rage is not seen rather it is glossed over. Thus the intersectionality of race and class are important factors in female rage.
The increase in female rage has helped understanding and respect for women's anger, paving the way for a more authentic and diverse understanding and representations for women. These films can also have real life action by inciting change and highligh issues that exist within society, the sexual violence against women that is so common.
In conclusion, female rage is not only a good trope but an act of empowerment and resistance against the ideals of the male gaze and societal expectations put on one woman. They act as a reminder that woman's anger is important , not only does it need to be understood but change based on it should also be incited.
I think It's really fascinating how these films critique problems like sexual assault and discrimination at work while simultaneously acting as social commentary. They bring these important topics to light from the perspective of female rage, which provokes and advocates for social change. I think the narratives from the movies that you've mentioned resonate with us because they portray rage as a strong force for self-expression and development rather than as a weakness. Although these stories are becoming more popular, there is still a noticeable lack of research on intersectionality and how a woman's anger interacts with identities other than gender, such as ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation. How do you think the normalization of female rage in cinema might contribute to broader social movements advocating…
This blog is really thorough in its analysis of female rage in media. Reading it made me think of the depiction of female rage in Pakistani dramas, which is quite different from the Hollywood movies you have mentioned. Usually in the dramas, women's anger and frustration is depicted as a weakness and also as illogical. Moreover, they are always seen crying out of anger, which is not inaccurate but it doesn't empower women rather always shows them as victims of their circumstances. Example include Khirat from Humsafar, Kashaf from Zindagi Gulzar Hai, and Noor-ul-ain from Ye Dil Mera. I think writers and directors should produce dramas that empower women to fight back against harrassment and sexual abuse, which is common…
i loved this blog! female rage has always been at the centre of controversy with it being pushed under the rug in favour of male rage which is overrepresented in media and does not allow women to be portrayed as anything but a helpless victim. there are many critics of female rage in media, claiming that it shows women as vindictive and petty and unrestrained but in my opinion, it asserts a woman's humanity. anger and rage are human emotions that women have not been allowed to express in order for men to feel dominant and secure. you are right, however, that currently it is only white women that are allowed in media to express this rage and it would…
I really enjoyed reading this blog, because feminine rage is something so new but so vital that it deserves more recognition. Women being shown as diverse individuals capable of expressing a wide range of emotions, including rebellion and rage, is a refreshing change. female characters have only been able to play submissive, charming roles or strong, collected heroines who frequently took a backseat to their male antagonists. The move to portraying female rage goes beyond only expressing hatred; it also challenges social standards and initiates important dialogues. this also reminds me of the show "Good Girls" on netflix where three mothers tired of their financial conditions at home depict a true feminie rage to change their lifestyles.
I loved this article and fully agree with your points! Feminine rage is a topic that has only recently been implemented into a few movies/films, and is much needed. For decades, women have been shown as submissive and quiet, with a lone tear falling down their face in times of anguish, while men are allowed to yell and break things as they deem fit. An iconic scene that comes to mind is Taraji P Henson in the show Hidden Figures where she gives a speech about 'working like a dog, day and night' while talking about how NASA only had bathrooms for white people. Female rage is needed to depict the reality that such emotions are not restricted to one…