Homme Fatale: 6 Characteristics of The Male Counterpart to The Femme Fatale

Handsome devils — seductive, dominating and dangerous man

Homme fatale translates to “fatal man” or “deadly man”.

It describes the male counterpart of femme fatal who is a seductive and mysterious woman that leads men into dangerous or destructive situations. He is often villainous and is an archetype found in literature, film and art. Unlike the femme fatale, however, the homme fatale is not as prevalent in popular culture but when it does appear, the characteristics are reminiscent of her.

Here are 6 traits associated with the homme fatale:

1- He is a womanizer.

Homme fatales are known for their seductive prowess. They are typically charismatic and charming, which they use to attract and captivate women. A part of the charm is the self-confidence they exude and the air of mystery surrounding them. Their secretive personality often adds to their intrigue. Not to mention, their confidence can be intoxicating to those around them. This enticing facade allows them to manipulate women. They also tend to be highly promiscuous, seeking pleasure and gratification pursuing multiple partners simultaneously without commitment. They do not hesitate to use their sexuality to charm women. In most cases, homme fatales pose a risk to the emotional and at times even physical well-being of the women they become involved with, leaving a trail of heartbreak in their wake.

“Peck has no qualms about employing his sex appeal, making no distinction between, on one hand, affective relations and sex, and on the other, money — between the sphere of intimacy and business. Binding everyone he works with him to him through affective blackmail, his blackmail takes one of two forms, depending on the sex of the individual involved. If it is a woman, he has sex with her, and if it is a young cop, he plays a physically affectionate father.” — Margaret Cohen

2- He values his independence.

Homme fatales have a need to maintain a sense of independence so they are not easily controlled or manipulated by others. This need for self-reliance and autonomy comes from the importance they place on preserving their freedom. They prefer to rely on their own skills and resources to get what they want. Also, by avoiding commitments and forming emotional attachments to others, they are able to operate independently, whilst remaining flexible. They perceive emotional connections as a vulnerability at best, if not a weakness. They also feel that by avoiding such connections, they can pursue their objectives without being tied down by obligations or responsibilities. In other words, their independence gives them a sense of control and agency over their lives.

3- He is controlling.

Homme fatales typically have a dominant and assertive personality. They seek to have power and control over people around them and this extends to their intimate relationships. Their need to take charge of situations often results in them engaging in manipulative behaviours, leading to unhealthy and destructive relationships. They don’t hesitate to gaslight or play mind games on their partners and through such tactics maintain a strong influence on their thoughts and feelings. They may also attempt to isolate their partners from others in order to keep their partners dependent on them, not just financially but also for their happiness and other emotional needs.

4- He is dangerous.

Similar to femme fatales, known to be dangerous to men who get involved with them, home fatales pose a similar threat to women who fall under their spell. They are often criminalised and are both unpredictable and reckless. This induces anxiety in people around them as it’s not clear what they might do next. They also tend to be extremely manipulative and adept at getting people to act against their better judgment to allow them to achieve their goals. They do not hesitate to deceive others — they conceal their true intentions when trying to convince others to do something for them and this allows them to hide the potential risk they pose. These actions lead to negative consequences for others but home fatales are unconcerned with this detriment to people’s well-being or the fact that they cause people to get tangled up in compromising situations. All they care about is whether they get to maintain control. In order to accomplish this, they may even resort to physical violence.

“He ultimately destroys everyone he seemed to be helping, not only his surrogate sons, the young cops he is fathering, but also the women that he sleeps with and his own family.” — Margaret Cohen

5- He is ambitious; he wants power and status.

Homme fatales are often motivated by a desire for power and status. This pursuit often encourages them to engage in manipulative behaviour in all aspects of their lives. Their ambition may be to acquire wealth as well as influence over others. This is often seen in their romantic relationships where they show a proclivity to control their partners psychologically. Because they have an enigmatic personality and the fact that they have a tendency to keep their motives and true feelings hidden, their manipulation attempts can be difficult to see through. In some narratives, their ambition is driven by revenge as opposed to personal gain, for which they often show similar levels of goal-directed behaviour and the willingness to operate in morally ambiguous and grey areas.

“For Peck, the home and the Force, women and men, wives, mothers, buddies and children merge into one undifferentiated arena where he can pursue the aggrandizement of his power.” — Margaret Cohen

6- He maintains a facade of emotional detachment.

Homme fatales often present themselves as indifferent to the well-being of others. This facade allows them to keep an emotional distance from others and appear invulnerable. For them, it is a form of self-preservation — by not revealing their true emotions they are often difficult to understand and therefore their weaknesses do not get exposed. This contributes to their enigmatic personalities and the air of mystery around them. Most importantly, however, their ability to keep their emotions at arm’s length gives them a sense of control over themselves as well as their relationships. It allows them to manipulate others without becoming emotionally invested in themselves. They get to maintain their independence and personal strength by avoiding getting tangled in relationships.

References:

Cohen, M., (1992–1993). The “Homme Fatal”, the Phallic Father, and the New Man. Cultural Critique. 23, 111–136. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.54.1.90

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