Wicked Women: The Mean Girls of Literature

Tina Fey's Mean Girls, starring the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried, is apparently 10 years old today. At my 10th birthday party a group of my friends and I watched the movie in awe, giddy at its rudeness and delighted that 'that girl from Parent Trap who played twins' was in another film. Today, the internet has consequently exploded with #fetch hashtags and reminiscent Regina George quotes/memes. In response, For Books Sake have published a guest post discussing their favourite mean girls of literature, including the likes of Blair of Gossip Girl to Mrs Danvers in Rebecca.

This article has got me thinking about my own favourite evil women in literature, the 'life ruiners' alike Regina George who may have been overseen. So, I present to you my own list of literary Mean Girls:

Victoria in Zofloya, or The Moor by Charlotte Dacre

The mere thought of the female protagonist in Charlotte Dacre's 1806 novel makes me shudder. Victoria becomes a life ruiner several times over under the control of the devilish Zofloya; she's jealous, a bit sex crazy (maybe even a rapist), torturer, and savage killer of innocent Lillia (cos she doesn't even go here! Meaning: she's stolen Victoria's Henriquez...I had to fit that quote in somewhere!?) Altogether a bit of a...you know...rhymes with hyco witch?

Miss Havisham in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Poor Pip is the target of Miss Havisham's plans for revenge on mankind, pursuing his broken heart through her adopted daughter, Estella. Havisham, however, is owed perhaps more sympathy - left at the altar, she is ultimately denied the Victorian right to fulfilled womanhood (children), and becomes a recluse living in the suspended moment of what was meant to be her wedding day. No pink Wednesdays for Havisham...just the discoloured white of her decaying wedding dress every single day of the week. Not so fetch.

Medea in Medea by Euripides

A couple of thousand years later, Medea still appears as evil as ever. Jealous of Jason and his new love, she kills their children and taunts him with their bloody bodies. As you do.

Tamora in Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

Tamora, Queen of the Goths, is out for vicious means of revenge in this bloody Bard play - and, considering the death of her eldest son in the play's early scenes, she does seem to have motive. Evil nonetheless.