Feminist Criticism



In The Dark Knight Trilogy, Christopher Nolan portrays his leading lady roles as characters that give more to the plot than what directors of the past had attempted in previous films. His characters of Rachel Dawse, Miranda Tate, and Selina Kyle both assist and endanger that actions of Batman as well as those of the people close to him.

Batman Begins
In Batman Begins Katie Holmes plays the successful intelligent Rachel Dawes. However, she is conveyed more often than not as a damsel in distress in need of Batman's protection. She serves as more of a distraction for Bruce Wayne rather than an aid. Being the object of Bruce Wayne's affections she obviously makes an impact but it is in the absence of any authority. Though a damsel in Distress, Rachel Dawes also carries about a sense of strength, wisdom, and total awareness. She conveys a sense of both intelligence and strength within her job as the interim district attorney. She achieves high statuses that she clearly earned. She influences Bruce Wayne to take a less violent path in how he handles criminals and shapes Batman like his mentors. She evenly portrays strength and weakness in order to accommodate the characteristics of modern day femininity.

The Dark Knight
In the dark Knight, Rachel Dawse, the only leading female role, plays a more defining part in the outcome of the plot than in the previous film. Her role as a love interest for both Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent creates intrigue and irony as she becomes one of the significant bridges that connects villain to hero. In addition, she, or her death moreso, becomes the driving force that fuels Harvey's rage, and ultimate moral downfall from the grief for his lost love. Though she does not physically do much in the plot to help or hinder Bruce or Harvey directly. Nolan shows how a woman, or the love of a woman, can produce happiness as well as grief, strength as well as weakness, and coddpassion as well as anger.

The Dark Knight Rises
              Throughout the course of the Dark Knight Rises, we encounter two main protaginists in the film of great importance. Both of which happen to be women by the names of Selina Kyle and2121212121222 . The first woman who makes a major impact in the film is Cat-woman, more commonly known as Selina. Her role in the film first proves to Bruce Wayne that there were people out there improving their skills while he sat and for 29189281982years, much less women. She seems to be this sort of stimulus that encourages Wayne to get back out on the run after his fall. Another woman of importance is Miranda Tate who we come to discover is the new head of the league of shadows. She appears to be this mysterious yet poised woman who Wayne really sought after since he had a missing place in his heart after all the deaths in his life. Tate, in the long run catches Wayne off guard and without the assistance of Kyle, would not be able to stop her or Bane. The portrayal of women and power throughout the film really shows its colors in the last few scenes. Along the process, Wayne is able to settle down and continue to thrive with his new partner in crime.