In William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” the titular character’s wife, Lady Macbeth, is often described as a “madwoman.” She encourages her husband, Macbeth, to commit murder, and ultimately goes crazy and commits suicide. The so-called “mad” or “unhinged” women trope has commonly occurred in literature, and can be dated back centuries. These stories tend to feature a female character, one who appears to have a shaky grasp on reality; whether that be an erratic, evil caretaker, or a woman slowly losing her sanity as she becomes more enthralled in a dangerous cult. But the “hysterical women” idea has been placed on women in society as well, as a harmful label and a way to invalidate a woman’s emotions. While these books may be occasionally disturbing, they are often extremely popular for the fact that they challenge and push the limits on conventional portrayals of femininity; something that so many readers, especially women, are desperate for.
Primary female characters are often portrayed as the helpless victim, the passive yet gorgeous love interest, or the kind and uncomplicated girl-next-door; which results in a shocking deficit of genuine female representation. For centuries, the majority of mainstream female characters have been written by men, and not depicted authentically. Portrayals of women were often very similar from book to book, or movie to movie. This included trivial character traits like vulnerability, helplessness, and passivity. These features, in the past, have been enforced by societal gender roles, highlighting the difference between femininity and masculinity.
Modern books that embrace the “crazy” cliche are rebelling against previous ways women have been portrayed. The “madwoman” trope often depicts the heroines as irrational, unstable, and sometimes even violent; which are traits that are traditionally condemned in women and often more accepted in men. These characters are certainly not delicate or benign, less so are they flawless. As the popularity of this trope begins to grow, it’s important to recognize that the madwoman trope most certainly has existed previously, but often in the role of the villain.
For instance, in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” the character Bertha Mason coined the term “madwoman in the attic.” Mason, who played an antagonist role, was portrayed as “mad,” and a threat to the book’s main character, Jane Eyre, who often struggled with being defiant throughout her adulthood.
While some of Bertha Mason’s actions were questionable, including inflicting physical harm on others, the source of her supposed “madness” can be linked to the fact that her husband locked her up and isolated her. Bertha Mason’s actions were a result of her husband’s suppression, and act as a great contrast to the book’s leading lady. Jane, a character with a tragic childhood, grapples throughout the novel with balancing her independence and the constrictions of society. “Crazy” Bertha Mason, a character who despite having little physical agency lives with more freedom to behave recklessly, juxtaposes Jane seamlessly.
Many popular pieces of modern feminist literature depict women similar to Bertha Mason, in that they are not entirely stable, but in the light of a main character as opposed to the antagonist. Not only do these novels push back against the restrictive ways women have been portrayed in the past, they also embrace the idea that female characters can be morally grey; that female characters and women in real life can be loud, aggressive, passionate and imperfect and still be human and be worthy of recognition.
Ultimately, the “madwoman” trope might not be for everyone. Often assisted by manipulation and violence, many of these novels qualify as horror. But still, they are a step in the right direction for more diverse representation of women in the media. These books embrace complexity and unpredictability in female characters that isn’t often depicted. Hopefully many more books to come will continue to help remind the world of the importance of imperfect female characters.