Evil Women in Literature

“You got to change your evil ways…, woman” I am probably misquoting this song but between Santana’s song “Evil Ways” and ELO’s “Evil Woman” bouncing around in that radio station in my brain, I have the topic of evil women on my mind. When I recently asked my co-workers to name some literary evil women, most of them named wicked step mothers from a variety of fairy tales (Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.)
The second most commonly named were also characters out of children’s literature. These included the Wicked Witch of the West, The Snow Queen in Narnia, and Cruella de Ville. Of more modern children’s literature, people mentioned Mrs. Coulter from His Dark Material and the deadly duo in the Harry Potterseries, Mrs. Dolores Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Akasha – Queen of the Damned (M) by Anne Rice. Queen Akasha of Kemet became the first vampire when an evil spirit named Emel entered her body. She rules with King Enkil, who she turned into a vampire, circa 5,000 B.C. When the vampire Lestat becomes a rock star in the end of the 1980’s, Akasha is awoken by his music. Rice describes Akasha as fundamentally dark and nihilistic, without morals, ethics or compassion. I know some would not mind a vampire killing other vampires, but when you have become as fond of Lestat and Louis as I have, well, you mind.

Hilly Holbrook – The Help (M) by Kathryn Stockett. God, this woman is a piece of work!. From outward appearances she is the model of society. She is the president of the Jackson Junior League and various other charities. Yet, cross her and she can have you arrested, imprisoned for stealing, your friends and family fired, have you evicted, and have your car repossessed. She can even run you out of town, all without getting her pretty little hands dirty.

Source: http://www.thereader.ca/2012/10/evil-women-in-literature.html