Iconic Women in Western Society

The following is a list of women who changed society, without them our world would not be the place it is today. Many of these women are controversial figures, public opinion of their behaviour is divided; in fact some of them are outright villainised, but all of them challenged society's perception of women.

Boudica (Boadicea)

• Wife of Prasutagus - leader of the Iceni tribe.
• Upon Prasutagus' death the Roman conquerors in Britain had Boudica flogged and her daughters were raped.
• Boudica lead an uprising of various Anglo tribes - so successful that Nero planned to abandon his conquest of Britain.
• Was finally defeated and is said to have killed herself rather than allow herself to be captured by Romans.
• Became an iconic legend during the Victorian era when people likened her to Queen Victoria.

Joan of Arc

• Lead French revolt against England during the "Hundred Year War".
• Took charge leading thousands of men with brilliant battle expertise.
• All of her men were proud to stand behind her.
• Lead from the front of her armies, unafraid for her own safety.
• Ultimately paid for her beliefs and actions with her life.
• Was captured and burnt at the stake without once repenting for her actions.
• Later made a saint.

Anne Boleyn

• Anne Boleyn is a more controversial figure, often villainised and not often associated with feminism or empowered women.
• Many people regard Anne as a "love-rat".
• Anne's achievements were unprecedented, she dethroned the (then) current queen.
• Also the first women of lower nobility to become queen.
• Caused England to break with Rome.
• Spearheaded the Protestant movement, changing England's status to a Protestant country rather than Catholic.
• Mother to Elizabeth I.
• Her enemies claimed she was a witch, spreading rumors that she had 6 fingers and numerous moles which they saw as proof of sorcery.
• Beheaded by Henry VIII under unproven charges of witchcraft and adultery.

Elizabeth Tudor

• Second female monarch (after her elder sister).
• Only female monarch to rule alone (no king).
• Survived imprisonment and accusations of treason by her sister.
• Her reign was referred to as "The Golden Age".
• "The Virgin Queen" - She promised to dedicate her life to serving her country and not a man.
• Defeated the Spanish Armada against incredible odds.
• Caused the initial cessation of warring between Catholics and Protestants, creating a middle ground and air of general tolerance between the two divisions.
• This was the first prototype of religious tolerance and peace that we are still striving to achieve today.

Marie Antoinette

• Possibly the most controversial iconic woman on my list, she was nicknamed "Madame Deficit", due to her extravagant tastes and was blamed for France's debt and economic decline.
• It was rumored that she had at least one affair, engaged in lesbianism with her close friends and was unable to inspire sexual passion in her husband - the Dauphin.
• Many people attributed the French Revolution to her poor rule.
• At her trial - prior to her execution during the French Revolution - Marie Antoinette was charged with: arranging and participating in orgies in Versailles, sending millions of the French Treasury money to her home country Austria and, most infamously, sexually abusing her son. 
• These charges were all based on rumors spread by her opponents and most have since been judged as untrue.
• When charged with sexually abusing her son, Marie Antoinette could not respond to the charges, instead she appealed to the women of her country on an emotional level, in such an emotional manner that the same women who had been looking to tear her to pieces were moved to support her.
• Marie Antoinette had no influence in her country's policies, or her husband's decision making and so diverted herself with superficial spending, hobbies and frivolous entertainments.
• She was powerless to influence politics, yet the people who supported her detachment from the decision-making process were the same who blamed her when everything fell apart in France's economy.
• Marie Antoinette threw herself into being a mother in an attempt to create a diversion from her loveless marriage and declining popularity.
• Marie Antoinette may not resemble the other strong, empowered women I'm studying in this blog, but to me she is the ultimate embodiment of the plight of women in a society dominated by men.

Audrey Hepburn

• One of the most iconic film and fashion legends of all time.
• She was an active humanitarian.
• Took a step back from her highly successful acting career so that she could devote more of her life to UNICEF.
• She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her involvement with UNICEF.
• Possibly her most defining role was Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany's, a quirky, extrovert call-girl. Audrey Hepburn and Holly Golightly became synonymous for one another despite there being no evidence to suggest that Hepburn was anything like Golightly.
• It is this character who interests me even more than Audrey Hepburn herself - Golightly was an independent woman who made her living off "entertaining" men, it is this supposedly derogatory female role that contrasts so starkly with her free-spirited, empowered nature - it is this oxymoron that fascinates me.
• I'm also interested in many people's regard for Audrey Hepburn as the one of the most beautiful woman of all time. Particularly as her appearance was completely "natural" with no corrective surgery.

Marilyn Monroe

• Actress, model and singer.
• Became a major sex symbol.
• Her life ended rather tragically at 36 from an overdose, assessed as "probable suicide".
• Monroe is the picture of a tragically beautiful woman, with the world at her feet, consumed by her troubles and perhaps destroyed by her fame.
• Monroe made a great career for herself but she was also exploited by men for her beauty.
• Monroe was unsupported by parents and had to make a living herself. When one of her first roles in a musical flopped she was struggling to make ends meet. 
• She met photographer Tom Kelley when she was struggling for money and due to her financial desperation agreed to pose nude for $50. This initial exploitation later came back to bite her as it caused a scandal during her later success.
• It is said that her later symptoms of hypersexuality, dysfunctional relationships and affairs may have been a result of her sexual abuse by her cousin at an early age.

Emmeline Pankhurst

• Leader of the suffragette movement.
• "Deeds, not words".
• Fought for women's rights, in particular the right to vote.
• Instigated millitant suffrage action.
• Led a march of 300 women which was met with police violence.
• Pankhurst was arrested along with other major suffragette activists.
• Went on a hunger strike in jail and was force-fed.
• Encouraged women to support the government and cease millitant action during the war, in this time, with men away fighting, women proved themselves invaluable to the country - many say that this was a key cause in women finally gaining equality.
• Women over 30 won the right to vote in 1918, then women from the age of 21 finally won the right to vote and equality with men in 1928 - the year of Pankhurst's death.
• It is safe to say Pankhurst was one of the most influential women in shaping the world as we know it today.

Emily Davison

• Like Pankhurst was a militant activist in the suffrage movement.
• Jailed on nine occasions and force fed 49 times.
• Best known as the first woman to give her life for the cause, ran out in front of King George's horse at the Derby as a protest.
• It has since been agreed that Davison was trying to draw attention to her cause rather than commit suicide.
• However, she was regarded as a martyr by the suffragettes.
• Her coffin was followed by thousands of suffragettes and tens of thousands of other people lined to streets on her funeral.

Margaret Thatcher

• Only female prime minister.
• Longest serving prime minister of the 20th century.
• Had many controversial policies - often villainised and hated.
• Brought Britain out of a recession.
• Won the Falklands war.
• Introduced privatisation which is often seen as a bad thing, but is still something that shaped the world we live in today.
• "There will not be a woman prime minister in my lifetime - the male population is too prejudiced" - Thatcher even exceeded her own expectations.

Princess Diana

• The nation's darling, Diana brought the Royal Family to the people, and restored the nation's interest in the monarchy.
• Involved in a lot of charity work.
• Iconic, beloved woman of the 20th century.
• National heartbreak and public mourning after her death.

Yoko Ono

• Japanese artist.
• Peace activist.
• Was married to John Lennon.
• Heavy influence of feminist topics in her work.

I would really like to study her work in further detail for this project.