In societies where men control most aspects of life by default, many people see a woman’s control of her sexuality as a threat to the established order. While Prosper Mérimée was a chauvinist who was comfortable with male dominance in 19th century France, he inadvertently created a compelling and complex female character. Carmen controls her environment, goes where she wants with whom she wants. She even chooses, in the end, to die free rather than live under a man’s rule. In trying to create a vamp or femme fatale, Mérimée also wrote about a fascinating proto-feminist heroine who remains fresh more than 150 years later.

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