Revisioning an Archetype: A Study into the Mythology of Vagina Dentata and the Sexually Dangerous Woman

Abstract

Brimming with razor sharp teeth, the Vagina Dentata presents a surreal fictional representation of the sexually dangerous woman. This image has been recorded almost globally and is often thought to be a manifestation of male sexual anxiety. Many of the studies focus on the male abject horror of this image and the psychological motivations behind the creation of this projection and they often fail to consider the experienced repercussions that manifest in the female reality as a result.

This dissertation traces the early roots of this image and establishes it firmly as an archetypal representation that has remained popular throughout human history and demonstrates how it has shaped social ideas toward women. It achieves this by reviewing a vast collection of these stories, both acknowledging and exploring the female perspective, and in doing so unveils these stories as patriarchal instruments used to control and subjugate women.

Femicide, genital mutilation, medical negligence and sexual violence are just some of the concretely correlated repercussions of retelling stories of the vagina dentata substantiated within this dissertation. These stories also have tangible negative consequences for women in every-day life, from regulation of female sexual health and reproduction to being constantly portrayed as the other, weaker sex.

Attempts have been made to reclaim the symbolism of the vagina dentata as a powerful feminist emblem. Modern fictional interpretations endeavor to subvert the story-arc presenting it as a weapon against sexual predatory behavior in the rape revenge genre. Physical prototypes designed to work as defensive rape prevention mechanisms have also been created, although none have made it to the retail market yet. These endeavors are problematic though as they don’t address the real issues at hand; rather they reinforce the legitimacy of the vagina dentata archetype. Instead, education, empathy, mutual respect and the dismantling of patriarchal rule and gender defined normality are alternative and effective ways of dealing with these stories and the damaging consequences they invoke.