How 'My Cousin Rachel' Challenges the Femme Fatale Trope

Daphne du Maurier’s 'My Cousin Rachel', and its 2017 film adaptation directed by Roger Michell, presents a captivating and complex portrait of female power through the character of Rachel Ashley. While she initially appears to embody the classic femme fatale—mysterious, seductive, and possibly deadly—the story ultimately subverts this trope in compelling ways. Rather than being a clear-cut villain or manipulator, Rachel emerges as an ambiguous figure who defies easy categorisation, forcing audiences to confront their own assumptions about women and power.

Traditionally, the femme fatale archetype is rooted in suspicion and fear of female autonomy. This character lures men into dangerous or destructive situations using her sexuality or charm. Think of film noir staples like 'Double Indemnity' or 'Gilda', where the femme fatale exists primarily to destabilise male control and be punished for it. In 'My Cousin Rachel', Rachel certainly possesses some of these qualities—she’s intelligent, worldly, and emotionally guarded. However, the narrative withholds concrete evidence of her wrongdoing, leaving her innocence or guilt perpetually uncertain.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

'My Cousin Rachel' Challenges Femme Fatale Trope

This ambiguity is key to how 'My Cousin Rachel' challenges the trope. Rather than confirming Rachel as a villain, the story is filtered through the perspective of her cousin Philip, a young man who quickly becomes infatuated, then paranoid. His unreliable narration raises a critical question: Is Rachel truly dangerous, or is she simply a strong, independent woman viewed through a lens of male insecurity and jealousy?

Rachel’s refusal to conform to societal expectations of femininity further disrupts the femme fatale mould. She is financially savvy, self-sufficient, and emotionally reserved—traits typically admired in male characters but often villainised in women. Her rejection of traditional romantic roles and her unwillingness to be "owned" by Philip threaten his fragile masculinity, leading him to project sinister motives onto her actions.

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Image Courtesy: IMDb

What makes 'My Cousin Rachel' so compelling is that it never offers easy answers. Rachel remains a figure of mystery, but not because she is a manipulative vamp. Rather, she is unknowable because she exists beyond the simplistic binaries that have long defined female characters in literature and movies.

In challenging the femme fatale trope, 'My Cousin Rachel' not only critiques misogynistic storytelling traditions but also invites viewers to question their own biases. It’s a story about control, perspective, and how fear of powerful women often says more about the observer than the observed.

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