ABSTRACT
This chapter compares the Freudian and Jungian ways of looking on women as actors, agents, spectators and individuating agents. Particularly in the past twenty years or so moving image narratives have been confused as to the nature and structure of female individuation. Traditional cinematic narratives present women as mesmerising things, as passive objects of desire, as fragile yet dangerous creatures; they are shown by men who make films to men who watch films, whereas women, both as actresses and as spectators, are largely excluded from the creative and decision-making processes as well as disregarded as spectators. Up until relatively recently, female passivity in cinematic narratives has only been questioned and challenged theoretically rather than practically. These outdated practices are now contrasted with the new breed of female protagonists who are happy to wield a sword, master the art of archery, fight a bloody battle or approach a man sexually.
