User:17lpratt/Evaluate an Article

Femme fatale

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I went through a few categories on Wikipedia before stumbling across the Femme Fatale article. I thought it would be an interesting piece, specifically because of the way this "maneater" of a woman is portrayed--a woman rejecting motherhood turned into something monstrous and threatening by past literary writers. From first glance, this article fails to give mention to the zeitgeist in which this literary figure is framed. In order to form a more universal and forward-thinking basis, I wonder if there should be a clearer reference to the framework in which this negative female figure was formed.

Guiding questions

The introductory sentence of the article states: "A femme fatale (/ˌfæm fəˈtɑːl/ or /ˌfɛm fəˈtɑːl/; French: [fam fatal]), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps". I think this is an appropriate first sentence as it describes the main subject that they refer to throughout the article--it is concise, clear and factual.

The article's main sections describe the femme fatale's role as a literary character and as an archetype, living through various cultures. A majority of the article describes why the woman is feared and her traits that reinforce this, followed by a list of examples from various arts. The Lead doesn't include information not present in the article. The Lead seems to be a good length--it is clear and informative, but no too lengthy. It provides a basic background without going into unnecessary detail.

• Does the Lead include an introductory sentence that concisely and clearly describes the article's topic?
• Does the Lead include a brief description of the article's major sections?
• Does the Lead include information that is not present in the article?
• Is the Lead concise or is it overly detailed?

Content

Guiding questions

The article's content is relevant to the topic, since it describes a basic background, several examples, and the femme fatale's role in literature. However, there seem to be some issues with the topic being truly "up-to-date", as it fails to address the circumstances surrounding the making of this "evil" female figure. In a present context, there should be a mention to the zeitgeist in which the white, male voice was the most prevalent, often using their voices to romanticize the image of the woman from their own view point. This example is just the opposite of the image of the woman being romanticized--this is morphing the image of a free, childless woman into a "threat to men", rather than an independent, autonomous being. Of course, this is not surprising for the time period, but the fact that the article does not include this context means it fails to address this fabricated vision of woman. Even today, women are still fighting to the right to make decisions about their own bodies without the input of other humans, which shows just how important it is that this femme fatale comes from a male perspective. Though the femme fatale does have an important role in literary traditions, it is important to acknowledge the social issues involved as well in order to address the unacknowledged assumptions still present in our patriarchal society today.

• Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
• Is the content up-to-date?
• Is there content that is missing or content that does not belong?
• Does the article deal with one of Wikipedia's equity gaps? Does it address topics related to historically underrepresented populations or topics?

Tone and Balance

Guiding questions

I don't believe the article is bad, but I do believe it fails to address the context surrounding this created "femme fatale" figure, including that the idea most likely came from the male perspective. There are articles on female philosophy and literary criticism that may be useful sources in order to expand the range of this article. Instead of just talking about the figure created by the male gaze, this would help clarify the repercussions of such a figure on women in society who choose to not have children--as children and motherhood are not what make a woman. There must be reference to the missing female experience that has been overwritten by male-made literary figures.

• Is the article neutral?
• Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
• Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
• Does the article attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or away from another?

Sources and References

Guiding questions

The sources and references for this article are reliable and plentiful; the links work as well and are up-to-date.

• Are all facts in the article backed up by a reliable secondary source of information?
• Are the sources thorough - i.e. Do they reflect the available literature on the topic?
• Are the sources current?
• Are the sources written by a diverse spectrum of authors? Do they include historically marginalized individuals where possible?
• Check a few links. Do they work?

Organization

Guiding questions

This article was written and organized well--it was clear, concise and informative on the femme fatale figure. The sections were also broken up in a cohesive manner.

• Is the article well-written - i.e. Is it concise, clear, and easy to read?
• Does the article have any grammatical or spelling errors?
• Is the article well-organized - i.e. broken down into sections that reflect the major points of the topic?

Images and Media

Guiding questions

There are many pictures included to help enhance the piece. These were also organized/placed well throughout the article. All of the pictures were well-captioned with links and references.

• Does the article include images that enhance understanding of the topic?
• Are images well-captioned?
• Do all images adhere to Wikipedia's copyright regulations?
• Are the images laid out in a visually appealing way?

Checking the talk page

Guiding questions

The author of the article gives mention to editors of their piece--they agree that there should be an addition about the femme fatale's relevance in history. There is also some debate in the comments about whether certain characters are truly "femme fatale" or not. It is labeled as a level-5 vital article / C-class.

• What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
• How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
• How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?

Overall impressions

Guiding questions

The article has a good basis, as it provides a detailed background and many example references and descriptions. It could be improved by including more historical references, specifically to the lens in which this femme fatale was made, and the way these sort of woman figures can negatively affect women in regard to oppression, social issues, and the defining of women by men.

• What is the article's overall status?
• What are the article's strengths?
• How can the article be improved?
• How would you assess the article's completeness - i.e. Is the article well-developed? Is it underdeveloped or poorly developed?

Optional activity

• Choose at least 1 question relevant to the article you're evaluating and leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback

with four tildes — Are their any other themes that coincide with the use of the femme fatale in literature?~~~~

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