Salome, Comparison of Eve - Research Paper Example

SALOME The Salome of the Bible is somewhat different than the Salome of literary culture, as seen in the play by Oscar Wilde and opera by Strauss. But it is clear, nevertheless, that she has come to be seen by nearly everyone as a kind of femme fatale figure. She used her sexuality to get what she wanted. Men were powerless before her. Indeed, in bringing about the death of John the Baptist, she was literally a femme fatale. However, in this case, it was not John who succumbed to her charms, it was Herod.

But Salome is not the first woman in the Bible to wield a malign influence. When considering the history of femme fatales, no account would be complete without discussion of the original, Eve, who listened to the serpent and ate the apple. She convinced Adam to eat of it too, resulting in their expulsion from the garden of Eden. Both Eve and Salome put their charms under the direction of other people. In Eve's case she was manipulated by the serpent and then in turn manipulated Adam. In Salome's case it was her mother who asked her to request of Herod John's head.

She did as she was told, and the result was John's death. In both cases, each woman was used by someone else for a larger purpose which they may not have understood. This undermines the idea that these women were empowered by their sexuality. Instead, they were used by people more intelligent than themselves to do their bidding. In our culture, the figure of the femme fatale is an attractive one. But it is important to remember that these women do not manipulate people for their own gratification.

Usually, they are just a cog in the system, being used in turn.