The myths of femininity
Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersA 'myth' of femininity (de Beauvoir)?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 8 Flashcards — The myths of femininity
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
A 'myth' of femininity (de Beauvoir)?
Answer
An idealised, larger-than-life image of 'Woman' that real women are measured against.
Question
The 'eternal feminine'?
Answer
The myth of a single, timeless feminine essence supposedly sitting beneath every real woman.
Question
Why do the myths contradict each other?
Answer
Woman is cast as both pure angel and dangerous temptress — a sign the images are projected, not observed.
Question
What does the contradiction prove?
Answer
No real thing can be two opposite essences, so the myths describe men's hopes and fears, not real women.
Question
How does the myth trap real women?
Answer
It sets an impossible ideal she's bound to fail, and hides the actual individual behind a grand image.
Question
De Beauvoir on 'woman is mysterious'?
Answer
'Mysterious' is what you call someone you refuse to see clearly — the mystery is in the myth, not the woman.
Question
Do flattering myths trap too? (Go further)
Answer
Yes — a pedestal is still a cage: praising Woman as a pure angel still denies real women ordinary freedom.
Question
How do the myths link to 'the Other'?
Answer
The myths are how woman-as-Other gets filled in — a grand image stands in place of the real individual.
Read the notes
Full study notes for The myths of femininity
Topic 10.11 hub
The Second Sex — de Beauvoir
More from Topic 10.11
All flashcards in this topic
Philosophy exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free