[Editorial] Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

There are many examples of strong, smart women in horror but one of the first to spring into my mind is Clarice Starling.

Putting aside the debate and conceding that The Silence of the Lambs is a horror film, from the opening shot where we see the trainee FBI agent tackling an assault course alone this reflects how Starling will make her journey without depending on others. This also evidences her endurance; Clarice is not just intellectually adept; she also has physical prowess. 

The film’s heroine has many admirable qualities including her conviction towards saving the kidnapped Catherine, courage to enter into some of the most extreme and dangerous situations and determination to keep going no matter what. While tenacious and focused, Clarice is importantly not shut off to vulnerability and is shown to have human reactions to events that occur, such as the incident with Miggs and the autopsy scene.

What sets Starling apart is that she never compromises herself and is an able match for any of the vast number of men that surround her. Sent to coax knowledge from Lecter precisely because she is a woman, she successfully navigates the grotesqueness of Chilton, confidently receives and returns during verbal exchanges with Lecter and challenges her male superior Jack Crawford’s attitude towards women, reminding him of the example he is responsible for setting. 

Furthermore, Clarice eschews the advice of her counterparts by engaging with Lecter on a level they are not prepared for and, as a result, she achieves what they cannot; she earns his respect. Often the only woman in the room, Clarice is never sexualised nor does she assume the role of victim and what she accomplishes she does so through her own merit which is grounded firmly in reality. Let’s hear it for Clarice: a woman deserving of her iconic status within the genre! 

RELATED ARTICLES

---

---

GHOULS GANG CONTENT

EXPLORE

---

MORE ARTICLES

---

---