Punishment in the Feminine: Case of the Narrative Cliché of “Illegitimate Loves Punished” in Literature

Abstract

This study explores a recurring problem that lies at the intersection of literature and anthropology: the persistent narrative trope in which punishment is reserved solely for women in stories of illegitimate or transgressive love. It questions why such a gendered and discriminatory sanction endures, even in literary spaces that are often assumed to challenge norms and celebrate freedom. The analysis begins with an inductive approach, surveying a variety of novels written by authors from diverse sociocultural contexts. Despite their differences, these works often reproduce the same structural cliché—the exclusive punishment of female lovers—highlighting a troubling and repeated narrative outcome. Special emphasis is placed on the specific nature of this pattern, particularly when contrasted with other love stories where male characters often evade similar consequences. Beyond identifying a recurring structural form, the article seeks to uncover the deeper symbolic and cultural significance behind this phenomenon. In its second phase, the study adopts a psychoanalytic lens, drawing on foundational theories by Freud, Lacan, and Julia Kristeva to interpret the repression of violence and its narrative expression through feminicide, viewed here as an ultimate outlet for societal anxieties. To address the complex ontological association of femininity with evil, the analysis is further enriched by key concepts from Michel Foucault’s philosophy and René Girard’s anthropology, particularly his theory of scapegoating. Ultimately, this article aims to shed light on the underlying forces behind what it terms the "feminization of ontological evil"—an enduring literary instinct that both reflects and reinforces deep-rooted cultural fears surrounding female autonomy and desire.