Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Portrait of a Lady on Fire- The Hidden Patriarchy in a All--Female Environment

Haihan SunBeijing Foreign Studies University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) is a film directed by Céline Sciamma. In 21th century France, female identity and feminism has become a hot topic in society. It touches areas of politics, economics and art. Several feminism films frequently appeared in the 21th century, Portrait of a Lady on Fire belongs to one of them. It portrays the relationship between two women in the late 18th century, Marianne and Héloïse. Héloïse is about to be forced to marry, and her worldview and experiences awakes Marianne’s rebellious spirit in a patriarchal society. This paper thinks Portrait of a Lady on Fire well discussed female identity and awakening without involving in any male characters. Through applying queer subjectivity theory, the paper is going to discuss how is it possible for the film to achieve this progress. The theory us divided into three aspects: identity fluidity, female gaze, and intersectionality. Portrait of a Lady on Fire provide a new possibility for discussing feminism and patriarchal questions in an all-female environment.

Keywords: Portrait of a Lady on Fire; feminism film; queer subjectivity theory
Published: June 13, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.BO23951
Volume: CHR Vol.67
pp. 109-113
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