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Webster’s unabridged 2nd edition- a woman
who tempts or entices; especially sexually.
Urban dictionary.com- a woman who is
considered to be dangerously seductive
According to Jane Billinghurst, author of
Temptress: From the Original Bad Girls to
Women on Top, men created the idea of the
temptress - an irresistible woman bent on
bringing them down - to justify the fact that
they so often surrender to women, especially
in the bedroom.
Helen of Troy
Daisy
Eve
Ancient
Cleopatra
Romeo
PostModern
Abigail
Williams
Annabelle
BransfordMaverick
Today
Grendel's
motherBeowulf
Madonna
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Eve- She was the first, though it wasn’t
completely her fault when she was tempted by
the snake, but she basically ruined it for all
humans and got herself and Adam banished from
the Garden of Eden. The Bible so wisely warns us
to resist the temptations of the flesh
 Cleopatra- A temptress of Power, got Mark
Antony and Julius Caesar to fight over her
because she was the queen of Egypt and they
wanted that alliance for their own empires.
 Helen of Troy- Temptress of beauty, she could
get any man she wanted because she was so fair,
and actually caused two wars because of it.
Helen of Troy
Daisy
Eve
Ancient
Cleopatra
Romeo
PostModern
Abigail
Williams
Annabelle
BransfordMaverick
Today
Grendel's
motherBeowulf
Madonna
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Daisy : Great Gatsby
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Abigail Williams: The Crucible
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Romeo- Romeo and Juliet
Helen of Troy
Daisy
Eve
Ancient
Cleopatra
Romeo
PostModern
Abigail
Williams
Annabelle
BransfordMaverick
Today
Grendel's
mother
Madonna
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Grendel’s mother- She asks Beowulf to give her a son and
the Horn of Hrothgar, and in return she will give Beowulf
fortune and keep Heorot safe. Beowulf gives in to her
temptations after she melts Hrunting with her hands
Madonna- Alex Rodriguez scandal- why he got divorced…
her songs, lyrics, and music videos all suggest a more
seductive, sensual lifestyle
Annabelle Bransford- Maverick (1994) sleeps with
Maverick (Mel Gibson) and attempts to steal his winnings
from a poker game. Throughout the movie, she is trying to
seduce men so she can get their money to play poker
herself and gets into trouble, only to have a man bail her
out because of her unbelievable charm, and well… the way
she flaunts her assets and uses them to her advantage
against men
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Money is a symbol for the temptress because she is attracted to
men who are prosperous. Once the temptress finds her victim
she seduces him, and after she has him under her spell she
strikes. In many instances the temptress will marry the
prosperous man, and then kill him...inheriting all his wealth.
Another name for the temptress when she does this is the Black
Widow or a Gold Digger considering that is what she is after, not
the man himself. The man is seen as a game; and if the man (the
game) is played right, then that women wins the wealth and
success.
Another symbol of this archetype is a Vampire. Vampires drink
human blood, and often times seduce their victims and then
bring them back to their home. Once in their home they drink
their victim's blood. This represents the temptress because the
temptress, just like the vampire, puts a "spell" over her victims
and then takes what she wants...which is normally wealth or
power, but in the vampire's case it is blood.
Temptress in Ancient Times
-- the Philistine mistress of Samson who betrayed
him by cutting off his hair and so deprived him of
his strength
-- Helen of Troy
-- Delilah- The Bible
-- Aphrodite
-- Eve & the snake- The Bible
Temptress: One who steers a character
from their path. Most of the time the
temptress is attempting is only looking to
their own interest. Not always, a
temptress can accidently cause harm unto
another. Mostly a female character, but a
male can also take some one off their
path.
Temptress in Post Modernism
~Daisy : Great Gatsby
~Abigail Williams: The Crucible
~Romeo
The temptress is a very important because they can be responsible for the demise of
the main character or at least adding a twist to the story
Female characters use their feminine
powers and personalities to destroy